[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 77 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1050-E1051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        INTRODUCTION OF ``BAN ASBESTOS IN AMERICA ACT OF 2003''

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2003

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to introduce the ``Ban 
Asbestos in America Act of 2003'' in the House of Representatives. This 
is the companion bill to a bill that Senator Murray is reintroducing 
today in the Senate. Senator Murray has been a real leader in 
addressing the harm that Americans continue to suffer from exposure to 
asbestos. I thank her for her hard work on this serious problem.
  We all know that asbestos can be deadly. It is a notorious carcinogen 
and causes other devastating diseases and disability. But what most 
Americans don't know is that this dangerous substance is still added, 
on purpose, to numerous products sold in this country. In 2001, 
companies in the United States used 13,000 metric tons of asbestos.
  Sometimes it seems that people trust their government too much. Many 
Americans reasonably assume that since asbestos is harmful and 
unnecessary, and since Congress and EPA have taken action on asbestos, 
it must be illegal to add it to products. They assume that new products 
are safe in terms of risks from asbestos. In fact, EPA tried to ban 
asbestos years ago, but was sued and lost on some technical grounds.
  The result is that people don't even know that some new products 
contain asbestos. And people don't realize that they still need to 
protect themselves against asbestos from these products. For example, 
many mechanics don't realize that asbestos is used in many brakes, 
exposing them and the public to dangerous asbestos dust. Asbestos is 
also still used in many roofing products and in gaskets. Continued 
exposure from new products is entirely avoidable--and this bill would 
fix the problem.

[[Page E1051]]

  The ``Ban Asbestos in America Act'' also addresses other urgent needs 
related to harm from asbestos. It requires EPA, the Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, and the Department of Labor to establish a national 
public education program about the dangers posed by products with 
asbestos. For example, many homes in the United States contain 
vermiculite insulation in their attics--but most homeowners don't know 
that this vermiculite is often contaminated with asbestos. Homeowners 
and workers need to be made aware of the risk. People must be informed 
that they should not disturb this insulation. Yesterday EPA issued a 
brochure, but we need to do more to get the word out on this and other 
risks.
  This bill also establishes a national registry for mesothelioma, a 
usually fatal form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The 
registry will help scientists to better track and treat this terrible 
illness. The bill also authorizes funding for mesothelioma research and 
treatment.
  We have not yet finished our job of protecting Americans from 
exposure to asbestos. We need a ban and public education about the 
risks that will remain. I'm introducing this bill to get the job done 
and make this country a safer place for people to work and live.

                          ____________________