[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 137 (Tuesday, September 27, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 27, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 VEGETABLE SOY INK PRINTING ACT OF 1994

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I am an original cosponsor of S. 
716, the Vegetable Ink Printing Act of 1994, introduced by Senator Paul 
Wellstone here in the Senate. This bill is sound, practical policy, and 
is budget neutral. The Senate passed it earlier in the 103d Congress. 
The House made a few changes to the bill to provide Federal agencies 
administrative flexibility in complying with the law, but it is 
basically the same. I am hopeful that the Senate will do the right 
thing and pass S. 716 in the next few days.
  I have long promoted the benefits of soy-based inks, and I was 
gratified to have been able to pioneer the use of soy-based ink in our 
Senate print shop. Soybean oil by now has proven itself a viable 
alternative to petroleum in the manufacture of printing inks. Soybean 
oil-based printing inks were developed by the American Newspaper 
Publishers Association after a second shortage of imported oil 
threatened many industries dependent on petroleum-based chemicals and 
refined oil products. Scientists at the National Center for 
Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, IL, have been working on 
new technologies in offset inks for now. Their effort has yielded a 
product that appeals to a larger share of the Nation's newspaper 
publishers.
  Since 1987, soy ink has been successfully used by newspapers for both 
black and color printing. At the end of the first marketing year for 
soy ink, six newspapers were using it. One thousand newspapers had used 
it at the end of its second year. On its third anniversary, soy ink was 
being used by one-third of the Nation's 9,100 newspapers, including 
one-half of the 1,700 U.S. daily newspapers. Usage has expanded because 
of the advantages soy ink has for agriculture, the environment, and for 
our economy.
  This legislation follows the lead that several States have taken to 
promote the early growth of the market for soy inks. Along with 
Illinois, six States--Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, 
and Wisconsin--have legislation passed or pending that require use of 
soy ink on all printing jobs contracted by the State.
  Soy ink is environmentally more benevolent because it is 
biodegradable. Soy ink also minimizes production of volatile organic 
compounds, which are being regulated in the workplace by the EPA and 
others. Petroleum ink violates these limits. This is one reason 
officials of the American Newspaper Publishers Association suggest that 
soy inks may be the solution to current and future environmental, 
health, and safety problems, associated with petroleum-based inks.
  I commend my colleague from Minnesota for his leadership on this 
bill. And, I am hopeful that our colleagues in the Senate will support 
this measure.

                          ____________________