U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, endorsed the legislation.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. on Monday endorsed legislation updating a 40-year-old federal law requiring chemicals be tested for safety.
Pallone (D-6th Dist.) is the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the legislation. He initially withheld his endorsement when House and Senate negotiators announced an agreement on the legislation last week.
"Democrats remain concerned by Republicans' provisions limiting states' ability to act aggressively on toxic substances," Pallone said in a joint statement with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. "However, the bill grants EPA with significant new authority to protect the public from unsafe toxic chemicals."
Deal reached on Lautenberg chemical bill
Pallone co-sponsored the House version of the law, which passed that chamber last June.
The bill is called the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, after the late New Jersey senator who pushed to update a law that prevented the U.S. government from regulating asbestos even after it was linked to cancer. The chemical safety measure in 1976, during the administration of President Gerald Ford.
The legislation would require the Environmental Protection Agency to test chemicals using "sound and credible science" and impose regulations if they are shown to pose a health risk.
The EPA would set priorities for evaluating chemicals and would not first have to show they pose a potential risk. Manufacturers could ask the EPA to evaluate a particular chemical if they are willing to cover those costs.
Pallone, Pelosi and Hoyer said the bill gives the EPA the power to test any chemical it suspects could be harmful.
"Senator Frank Lautenberg dedicated his career to fixing this law, and we honor his memory in this bipartisan legislation bearing his name," the lawmakers said. "It is not the bill Democrats would have written on our own, but it is a long-overdue step forward to protect families and communities from toxic substances."
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook