[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     STATEMENT REGARDING THE CREATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH PESTICIDE 
                          REGISTRATION PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 20, 1998

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, the committee report which accompanies 
the Labor, HHS, Education appropriations bill, as approved by the 
Appropriations Committee, encourages the National Institute for 
Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) to cooperate with the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support provisions in the 
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, 
relating to the registration and re-registration of public health 
pesticides.
  In 1996, FIFRA was amended by a set of reforms which were enacted in 
the Food Quality Protection Act (P.L. 104-170). This legislation 
authorized $12 million per year for the creation of a public health 
pesticide data collection program within the department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS). Many pesticides are specialized products with a 
low-volume sales markets. for many of these products, the cost of 
generating the data necessary to maintain registrations far exceeds 
return on sale. Consequently, many EPA registered pesticides are 
cancelled for economic reasons.
  The EPA Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS 
should promote research on products used in combating and eradicating 
urban pests, including rats, mice, cockroaches, flies mosquitos, ticks, 
and fleas.
  These pests pose a serious health risk to the general population in 
densely populated cities and suburbs. Vulnerable sub-populations such 
as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune 
systems are particularly at risk. Pesticides registered for public 
health uses are utilized to prevent the spread of bacteria which are 
carried by pests, such as Salmonella, Legionnaire's Disease, E. Coli, 
Lyme Disease, Encephalitis.

                          ____________________