June 07, 2016

Manchin Applauds Bicameral Bipartisan Compromise to Enact Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act

Washington, D.C. – As a lead cosponsor and a staunch advocate of chemical safety reforms, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) applauded the bicameral compromise reached to enact the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. The Senate passed the bill by voice vote to send the bipartisan legislation to the President’s desk.  This bill would ensure the safety of the chemicals Americans use every day by updating the United States’ outdated chemical regulatory program.

“We must ensure that the chemicals we encounter in our everyday lives are safe and properly managed and I’m pleased that the Senate has passed this much needed legislation to modernize our severely outdated chemical regulatory system,” Senator Manchin said. “Updating chemical safety laws is necessary to protect families and communities, and making sure we can properly manage toxic chemicals and prepare for the unlikely event of a chemical accident. After the 2014 Elk River chemical spill, I vowed to do everything in my power to ensure a similar accident would never occur again. This bill is a remarkable step in the right direction and a testament to the incredible work the Senate can do when we commit to finding bipartisan, commonsense solutions.

“I know my friend, the late Senator Frank Lautenberg, would be pleased with the Senate’s passage today. Senator Lautenberg dedicated his life to protecting public health and fixing America’s chemical safety laws. This legislation would not be possible without his leadership and commitment. I am glad we came together in a bipartisan manner to pass this important legislation.”

The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act is the result of a bipartisan agreement that Senator Manchin helped mediate after over two years of deliberations and negotiations. Lawmakers, stakeholders, and affected community leaders helped craft this groundbreaking legislation that would ensure the Environmental Protection Agency safely oversees consumer products to better protect American families. The legislation would create a predictable and transparent federal system to regulate the safety of chemicals based on the latest science, provide greater regulatory certainty to the chemical manufacturing industry and strike a balance between state and federal roles in chemical safety management. 

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