Attorney Generals Oppose Legislation That Blocks States Rights, Argue for Real Reform

Big news! A powerful new set of state officials has come out in opposition to a bill pending in Congress that has the chemical industry's fingerprints all over it.

State Attorneys General are basically the states' lawyers, making sure residents are protected. So when they see a law that could hurt people in the state, they step up. Which is why Attorneys General from 13 states are standing up to the proposed house bill that would strip states of the right to protect their citizens from toxic chemicals.

States have long taken the lead in protecting their citizens from toxic chemicals, passing restrictions against everything from toxic flame retardants to cadmium in kids' products with broad bipartisan margins. But a proposed new law, the Chemicals in Commerce Act, could hobble that ability. And for the sake of all of us, people are stepping up to make sure such a flawed law doesn't pass.

“From banning a dangerous chemical formerly used in plastic baby bottles to restricting heavy metals in consumer packaging, New York has led the nation in taking necessary actions to reduce the risks posed by toxic chemicals,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “But now, some members of the U.S. House of Representatives are seeking to bar states from moving to restrict the use of these chemicals. While TSCA needs to be reformed, changes in the law must not eliminate the right of states to protect their citizens.”

Attorneys General, like all of us, want real reform — they know that TSCA, the Toxic Substances Control Act, is woefully outdated. But they also know that the proposed legislation isn't a way forward. We applaud their efforts to speak out against bills that would tie their hands, and prevent them from making the world a safer place for all of us.

You can read the letter — and see if your state is on the list! — over here.