Today Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) broke new ground by announcing the introduction of the “Safe Chemicals Act of 2011” by video posted on YouTube.
Lautenberg’s video announcement opens with a series of compelling stories from people who have testified before his committee about the need to reform the nation’s chemical laws. Among those featured are:
Molly Gray, who testified before Congress that her struggles with infertility may be related to her “body burden” of toxic chemicals. Read her blog about testifying before Congress.
Sanjay Gupta, MD, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, who told Lautenberg’s committee last year “What we don’t know can really hurt us and there’s a lot we don’t know” about toxic chemicals and our health.
Philip Landrigan, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, who told CNN “Eighty percent of the common chemicals in everyday use in this country we know almost nothing about.”
Senator Lautenberg lays out his case for reforming the nation’s chemical law, stating that the legislation is an “opportunity to ensure better health and life for our kids.”
“The average American has more than 200 industrial chemicals in their body, including dozens linked to cancer and other health problems. The shocking truth is that the current law does not require tests to ensure chemicals used in everyday household products are safe,” said Senator Lautenberg in a press statement.
“The EPA does not have the tools to address dangerous substances and even the chemical industry has asked for stronger laws to assure consumers that their products are safe. My ‘Safe Chemicals Act’ will breathe new life into a long-dead statute by empowering EPA to separate the chemicals that help from the chemicals that hurt.”
Closing with a call for bi-partisan support for the legislation, Senator Lautenberg urges all viewers to spread the word, and share his video message on Facebook and YouTube with friends and elected officials. “The need is urgent, we can’t afford to wait.“ said Lautenberg.