[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 13, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S4558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KERRY:
  S. 1361. A bill to reduce human exposure to endocrine-disrupting 
chemicals, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Endocrine-
Disrupting Chemicals Exposure Elimination Act to create a research 
program through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 
to further endocrine related research.
  There are approximately 80,000 known chemicals in our environment 
that are potentially harmful. Many of those chemicals have never been 
tested to determine if they are damaging to human health. Products that 
American families use every day such as household cleaners, cosmetics, 
and personal care products could actually be causing them harm.
  This legislation establishes the Endocrine Disruption Expert Panel to 
study and evaluate up to 10 chemicals per year that are potentially 
endocrine-disrupting to determine whether they have a high, 
substantial, minimal, or no level of concern. Any chemical that is 
deemed a high level of concern could be banned from use within 2 years. 
This commonsense approach provides vital protections against harmful 
chemicals while giving industry an opportunity to either find a way to 
eliminate human exposure to the toxin or eliminate it from use.
  The increased rate of disorders affecting the human endocrine system 
is alarming. Children developing in the womb are particularly 
vulnerable. Many scientists believe there are connections between 
effects on the endocrine system and the chemicals around us, and it is 
time to do more about it.
  This bill promotes action based on hard, scientific evidence. I urge 
all my colleagues to support it.
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