[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 27 (Thursday, February 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E243-E244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 2003

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce the introduction 
of the Environmental Health Research Act of 2003.
  Arctic polar bears show high concentrations of certain synthetic 
compounds in their tissues. Whales in the world's oceans carry PCBs and 
other contaminants at concentrations that cause developmental defects 
in humans.
  U.S. streams and groundwater show widespread contamination with 
chemicals, dioxins, and antibiotics. Alligators in Florida's lakes 
suffer from reproductive problems that appear to be associated with 
chronic chemical contamination. New studies have made a persuasive case 
that contaminants were in part or wholly responsible for the loss of 
the lake trout and herring in the Great Lakes many decades ago.

[[Page E244]]

  Rates of infertility, the incidence of testicular cancer in young 
men, Parkinson's disease, autism, endometriosis, childhood diabetes, 
and asthma have risen dramatically since 1970.
  Is there a connection between all of these events? There is reason to 
believe there might be, but the truth is we simply don't know enough to 
conclude one way or the other.
  There is mounting evidence from the scientific community that 
exposure to certain environmental toxins, even at low doses, may cause 
adverse effects on development, growth, reproduction, metabolism, and 
other hormone-dependent processes in humans. Research interest is 
growing dramatically as our fear also grows that the pesticides, 
medicinal drugs, plant hormones, and industrial compounds that we 
confront every day may be causing many of our health ailments.
  In its Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals released 
two weeks ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
found disturbing exposure levels in individuals. The report calls for 
further research into this area to find out whether or not the levels 
CDC measured in its study lead to health problems.
  Today, I am proud to introduce the Environmental Health Research Act. 
This bill would authorize the National Institute of Environmental 
Health Sciences to provide grants to either public or non-profit 
private groups to develop and operate six centers that would conduct 
research into women's environmental health, and to establish a 
comprehensive research program on the impact and occurrence of hormone 
disrupting chemicals as they affect human, ecological, and wildlife 
health.
  This bill is enormously important, and long overdue. To date, federal 
research on hormone disruption and environmental toxins has been 
scattershot and underfunded. The research program authorized through 
this legislation will enable NIEHS to gather solid data about the 
dangers posed by some chemicals and the mechanisms through which they 
act. With this information in hand, we can make sensible, informed 
decisions and policies about our own and our children's health and 
well-being.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Hormone Disruption 
Research Act. We owe it to future generations to pursue this scientific 
research, which has implications for every one of us.

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