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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, American consumers deserve to have confidence that |
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the products they buy, when used for their intended purposes, are |
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safe; and |
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WHEREAS, a federal chemical management program should place |
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protecting the public health - including children's health -- as |
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its highest priority, and should include strict government |
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oversight; and |
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WHEREAS, the federal chemical management program should |
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preserve America's role as the world's leading innovator and |
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employer in the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce |
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and use of chemicals; and |
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WHEREAS, the current chemical management law, the Toxic |
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Substance Control Act (TSCA) was signed into law in 1976, and is now |
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nearly 35 years old; and |
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WHEREAS, since the enactment of the law, our ability to |
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understand the impact chemicals have on the human body and the |
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environment has advanced significantly; and |
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WHEREAS, those advancements in science and technology need to |
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be integrated into the federal chemical management program; and |
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WHEREAS, momentum for modernization of the federal chemical |
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regulatory system is growing in Congress; and |
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WHEREAS, a robust federal chemical management system will |
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obviate the need for state governments to adopt different - at times |
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conflicting - state regulatory programs that have the potential for |
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negative impacts on the national economy. |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Texas Legislature encourages the |
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112th Congress of the United States to enact federal legislation to |
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modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Amendments to |
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TSCA should strengthen chemicals management to: |
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(a) Ensure that chemicals are safe for their intended use; |
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(b) Require EPA to systematically prioritize chemicals for |
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the purpose of assessing their safe use; |
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(c) Require that EPA act expeditiously and efficiently in |
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assessing the safe use of chemicals; |
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(d) Require companies that manufacture, import, process, |
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distribute, or use chemicals to provide EPA with relevant |
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information to the extent necessary for EPA to make safe use |
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determinations; |
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(e) Assure that the potential risks to children from |
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exposures to chemicals are considered in the assessment of safe |
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use; |
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(f) Empower EPA to impose a range of risk management |
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controls to ensure that chemicals are safe for their intended use; |
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(g) Encourage companies and EPA to work together to enhance |
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public access to chemical health and safety information; |
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(h) Require that EPA rely on scientifically valid data and |
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information, regardless of its source, including data and |
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information reflecting modern advances in science and technology; |
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(i) Enable EPA to have the staff, resources, and regulatory |
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tools it needs to ensure the safety of chemicals; and |
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(j) Ensure that TSCA remains a vehicle to promote and |
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encourage technological innovation, and the maintenance of a |
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globally competitive industry in the United States; and be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to all members of the Texas delegation to |
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Congress. |