Members of Congress, key stakeholders, and the scientific community regard the reform of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as a priority for the 114th Congress. Thus, the SOT TSCA Task Force continues to build on its past accomplishments (SOT Continues to Forge Relationships with TSCA Legislators) to encourage needed modernization of this act.
To learn more about the ongoing and future activities of this Task Force, please consider attending TSCA Task Force: Update: Strategy, Issues, and Outreach, on Wednesday, March 25, 7:00 am‒7:45 am, San Diego Convention Center, Room 8.
The goal of the Task Force has been to serve as a scientific resource and to meet with all the members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment and the Economy and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee who are addressing TSCA reform. The reform process is well under way and continues.
In 2014, this Task Force made substantial progress as a key stakeholder in the legislative efforts to modernize this outdated statute, including conducting a series of educational meetings with 24 offices of the House of Representatives and the US Senate. This Task Force also submitted letters to the chairman and ranking member of the House Environment Subcommittee and the Senate EPW Committee detailing the Society’s perspective concerning the importance of the scientific underpinnings of TSCA reform legislation as well as providing science-based comments on various draft bills that were put forward in 2014.
Moreover, the Task Force members have explained the scientific meaning of such concepts as hazard, vulnerable populations, exposure, mixtures, and risk assessment during congressional meetings. Understanding of these concepts is critical to an effective TSCA reform.
Recent activities include the following:
- On January 20, 2015, Task Force members George Gray and Mark LaFranconi participated in a roundtable discussion with a bipartisan group of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, including eight representatives and thirteen staff members.
- On February 18, 2015, Task Force member James C. Lamb IV held meetings with the staff of two senators and on the 23rd, Dr. Lamb and Task Force Chair Daland R. Juberg met with the staff of two representatives. Dr. Juberg continued this educational outreach on the 25th at meetings with the staff of three senators.
Other members of the Task Force, who have been involved in previous Hill visits and other initiatives, include Susan J. Borghoff, Deborah A. Cory-Slechta, William H. Farland, Ronald S. Filler, Michael P. Holsapple, Moiz Mumtaz, Ruthann A. Rudel, Robert S. Skoglund, and Council Contacts Lorrene A. Buckley and Leigh Ann Burns Naas.
At the January SOT Council Meeting, Council was strongly in support of extending the duration of the TSCA Task Force for two additional years, with the hope that TSCA reform will pass sometime within the next 24 months. Please join us to learn more about this important Society activity.