[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 113 (Thursday, July 26, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1342-E1343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH TASK FORCE ACT

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                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 26, 2012

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to 
support the Children's Health Task Force Act. As children grow and 
develop, they are especially vulnerable to environmental health hazards 
such as air pollution, hazardous chemicals, and lead.
  The number of children at risk for lead poisoning alone remains 
unacceptably high. Today there are 442,000 children with elevated blood 
levels, yet Congress continues to drastically cut funding for lead 
poisoning prevention programs. There is simply no safe level of lead 
exposure for children. Research has shown that lead is damaging to the 
developing brains of young children and can have harmful long-term 
effects on behavior and IQ. I believe it is reprehensible to allow this 
kind of damage to happen to children. This quiet tragedy is entirely 
preventable, and it is our responsibility to protect our children and 
make lead poisoning a thing of the past.
  In 1997, former President Clinton established by Executive Order an 
inter-agency task

[[Page E1343]]

force to address high priority risks to children's health. Former 
President George W. Bush further amended the Executive Order to extend 
the work of this task force an additional few years. Since its 
establishment, the Task Force has successfully developed strategies and 
action plans for addressing asthma, unintentional injuries, lead 
poisoning, childhood cancer, and school environments.
  The Children's Health Task Force Act would simply codify the Task 
Force by an act of Congress and charge it with recommending and 
coordinating Federal strategies to address environmental health and 
safety risks for children in the United States.
  I am pleased the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Center 
for Healthy Housing, and Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital have 
endorsed this important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the 
Children's Health Task Force Act. We must ensure that our children grow 
up in a safe and healthy environment.

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