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

What you can't see can hurt you.

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.

Willamette Week

Nigel Jaquiss

Reporter Nigel Jaquiss joined the Oregon Journalism project in 2025 after 27 years at Willamette Week.

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