March of Dimes President Dr. Jennifer L. Howse issued the following statement today after the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 2576, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, a bill to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. The bill now goes to President Obama, who has pledged to sign it into law:
“Today, our nation takes a major step toward protecting pregnant women, infants and children by understanding the risks that certain chemicals may pose and taking steps to reduce them. Future generations will be safer and healthier due to this action.
“The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was a weak law when it was passed in 1976, and it has failed to serve the American people. As a result, we have an inadequate understanding of the safety of many chemicals and the risks they may pose to different members of our society. There is a particular absence of safety information related to pregnant women and children. This new law will help change that by requiring an assessment of both existing and new chemicals, and by requiring that process to take into special consideration the potential risks to maternal and child health.
“The March of Dimes commends Senators Tom Udall (NM) and David Vitter (LA) for showing an uncommon commitment and tenacity in the long battle for TSCA reform. We are deeply grateful to them for persisting in the face of diverse, often daunting challenges to their work over years. The March of Dimes has been proud to support passage of TSCA reform strongly, and we look forward to using the information that will become available to improve the health of women, children and families.”