[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 178 (Thursday, December 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCING THE ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS PREVENTION ACT OF 2009

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                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 3, 2009

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the 
``Endocrine Disruption Prevention Act of 2009,'' legislation that will 
not only established a much-needed comprehensive research program to 
identify chemicals that interfere with human reproduction and 
development, but that also will require regulatory agencies to provide 
an appropriate public response as to how they will respond to the 
scientific findings and what actions they will take to protect humans 
from exposure to such chemicals.
  Recent studies have convincingly demonstrated that a disturbing 
increase in the number of disorders of the human endocrine system is 
seriously undermining the health of our Nation. These disorders include 
autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, asthma, juvenile and 
adult diabetes, juvenile cancer, autoimmune diseases, obesity, 
osteoporosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's dementia. These 
disorders began to increase noticeably in the early 1970s when the 
first generation exposed in the womb to post-World War II synthetic 
chemicals reached maturity. Today, 1 in 3 children and 1 in 2 minority 
children will develop diabetes; 1 in 6 children is born with 
neurological damage; 1 in 100 children has an autism spectrum 
disorder--among boys the occurrence is 1 in 58; and in 2007, an age-
independent decline in testosterone levels over the past 20 years was 
discovered in American men. Evidence from human epidemiological and 
laboratory animal studies have linked these disorders to prenatal 
exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), yet the hands of 
federal agencies remain tied under existing law.
  In 1996, Congress recognized the need to study endocrine disruptions 
when it directed the EPA to develop an endocrine disruption screening 
program as part of the Food Quality Protection Act. Unfortunately, for 
various reasons, many being political, the program has been plagued by 
delays. Here we are, 13 years later, and it wasn't until October of 
this year that EPA announced the availability of initial assays and 
testing guidelines for a limited number of chemicals. Moreover, many 
question whether any testing conducted under EPA's program will even be 
as relevant or effective as it could be, as scientists' knowledge and 
understanding of endocrine disrupting chemicals, and how to best detect 
them, has increased rather profoundly since that time, and will 
continue to do so. Using a modernized 21st century testing paradigm 
that recognizes the known unique, subtle, and complex properties and 
effects of EDCs is necessary, as only then will be have accurate, 
practical data to inform appropriate and expeditious regulation of 
them.
  In the legislation I am introducing, the science, not politics, will 
set the stage for action to be taken by regulatory agencies. First, the 
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) will 
undertake a comprehensive research and testing program, using the best 
available science, to identify chemicals with endocrine disrupting 
potential. In addition, an independent expert panel, guided by the 
scientific research, will develop a list of the chemicals and evaluate 
the potential threat they pose. If the expert panel expresses even a 
minimal level of concern over the potential threat a chemical poses, 
regulatory agencies will be required to explain how they plan to 
respond to the scientific findings. Hopefully, this process will lead 
to a greater public awareness of potentially dangerous chemicals, as 
well as a swift appropriate response by our regulatory agencies that 
will limit or prevent exposure to them.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation and I ask 
that the full text of the legislation be printed in the Record at the 
conclusion of these remarks.

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