News

House Passes Bi-partisan Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Compromise

05/26/2016

In what can only be described as a stunning vote considering the disparate positions the environmental and business groups started from, on May 24th the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a compromise TSCA reform bill on a 403 to 12 vote.  IME, working through a large business coalition, pushed Congress to update the nation’s primary chemical regulatory law in ways that are good for the economy, consumer safety and health, and the environment.  The update will directly benefit the commercial explosives industry with a TSCA process that protects your business information and provides regulatory clarity, confidence, and certainty in the process. 

Over the past few months key members of the House and Senate worked behind the scenes to merge a House passed version with its Senate counterpart.  The strong bipartisan vote was foreshadowed when the White House issued a Statement of Administrative Policy strongly supporting the legislation.  The Senate is expected to bring up the bill later this week in order to get it to the President’s desk before the Memorial Day weekend.   

The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act creates a transparent, evidence-based, cohesive national program that will improve the regulation of chemicals used in commerce and provide more certainty and confidence in the law’s regulatory framework.  To read the House Energy & Commerce fact sheet on the legislation click here.