Appropriations Bill Markup: Including Chemical Industry Liability Protection

Action Alert: Tell the Appropriations Committee to Vote YES on the Pingree Amendment!

‘The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, July 22 to vote on the Appropriations Bill which contains extremely troubling provisions quietly added into the proposed legislation. These provisions are designed to shield the chemical industry from liability from harms to farmers and consumers while restricting the Environmental Protection Administration’s (EPA) ability to protect citizens from harmful exposures.

‘Section 453 was added to the bill to block the government from taking action on health concerns if they differ in any way from the EPA’s most recent health assessments, however outdated and inadequate they may be. The EPA and other agencies would be required to perform new assessments that could take four to 12 years even if new science shows harm and even if the original assessment was found to be based on fraud. If passed, Section 453 will strip farmers and consumers from their ability to seek damages against chemical manufacturers from injury and death when these companies fail to disclose potential harms occurring from exposure to their products. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree has introduced an amendment to strike Section 453 from the bill. This amendment must pass.

‘Section 507 drastically reduces the EPA’s ability to protect consumers from PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the manmade “forever chemicals” that have profound negative implications upon human health including cancer, hormone disruption, liver and thyroid problems, reproductive harm, and abnormal fetal development.

‘American citizens need more transparency and accountability – not less – as passage of the Appropriations Bill in its current state will ensure. Email your representative TODAY using the form below. You can also call the committee members’ office to tell them to vote YES on the Pingree Amendment remove Sections 453 and remove Section 507 from the bill. Phone numbers are below the form, and on the confirmation page you will see after submitting the form.

‘It’s urgent that you act now to prevent granting liability protection to chemical companies, allowing them to harm consumers with no chance of being held accountable.’