Senate Passes Chemicals Reform Bill

The Senate on Dec. 17 passed legislation to modernize the federal law that controls commercial chemicals. In a unanimous voice vote, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle agreed to S. 697, a bill that would overhaul the nearly 40-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act, which is widely viewed as outmoded (see page 40). The chemical industry and some environmental and health groups support the measure while other activists oppose it . The House of Representatives passed similar legislation, H.R. 2576, in June. Before Congress can send the legislation to President Barack Obama, the House and the Senate must work out differences in the two bills. That is expected to happen in early 2016.