Congress Continues Work On TSCA Reform

Key members of Congress indicated last week that efforts to modernize the federal law governing commercial chemicals continue to progress. Congress has not significantly changed that statute, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), since passing it in 1976. At a Senate Environment & Public Works Committee hearing on Feb. 4, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), coauthor of TSCA reform legislation (S. 1009) introduced last year, said he and Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) have made “measurable improvements” to the bill. Vitter did not indicate when the modified bipartisan legislation would be unveiled. Also on Feb. 4, the House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Environment & the Economy held the fifth in a series of hearings on TSCA reform. Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) said Republicans on the panel have drafted legislation to rewrite TSCA but have not shared it with Democrats. Waxman warned that if House Republicans do not work with Democrats and instead opt to pass a partisan bill, that measure will likely die in the Democrat-controlled Senate.