Sen. Jeff Merkley Explains Why U.S. Needs New Regulation of Toxic Substances

What you can't see can hurt you.

By Nigel Jaquiss

Federal regulation is complicated, time-consuming and takes years to pass. Here's U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) summarizing on the Senate floor last week why we need new and better laws.

Quoted:

"Current law has been completely, 100 percent dysfunctional for decades, leading to the exposure of our children, our babies, ourselves, and everyone in America to a huge list of toxic chemicals."

—Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), talking about why he wants the U.S. Senate to pass the House-approved Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, a bill to overhaul the federal government's poor regulation of synthetic chemicals, such as flame retardants in couches.

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