You may not have noticed yet but there’s an epic battle about to break wide open and onto the floors of Congress regarding our nation’s chemical safety policies. The chemical industry would like to preserve as much of the status quo as possible, with few restrictions on how they produce and distribute chemicals. The nation’s leading health and environmental groups are pushing for common sense updates that reflect modern science and protect our families from toxic chemicals in every day products like children’s toys and couch cushions.
This battle will answer critical questions like how soon we can expect protection from asbestos and other toxic chemicals with strong links to cancer or learning disabilities. Will there be stringent enforcement of the law that ultimately passes, or will follow through be crippled by blocking the usual role of state officials? Will there be loopholes that allow years of stalling and foot dragging from the Exxon Mobiles and Dow Chemicals of the world, or will the Environmental Protection Agency be given the tools they need to move on health-based decisions about toxic chemicals?
If someone you care about — your sister, neighbor, best friend, parent — is struggling with a disease associated with exposure to toxics chemicals, today is the day to pick up the phone. If you’d like a healthier future for the children in your life, today is the day to pick up the phone. If you’d like the standards in place in the United States so we can catch up with advances in other parts of the world like the European Union, today is the day to pick up the phone.
Clean Water Action and other members of the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families coalition will be doing all we can, staffing phone banks and urging our members to join in as well. Our goal? To make sure that Congress hears us…and to make sure we achieve a healthier future for our friend Lula Pearl (pictured) and for all of us.
Call your senator today: (202) 224-3121!
And don’t forget to take action with us here. Urge your senator to oppose the Udall-Vitter chemical bill S.697.
