[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 47 (Thursday, March 19, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S1667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. Leahy):
  S. 821. A bill to establish requirements with respect to bisphenol A; 
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I remain concerned about the high 
levels of exposure Americans have to Bisphenol-A, BPA, an endocrine-
disrupting chemical. BPA is a synthetic estrogen, which means that it 
mimics this hormone when in the body. Scientific studies continue to 
show cause for concern, especially for the health effects on babies, 
children, and expectant mothers. While these studies continue to 
examine the exact effects that BPA has on humans, consumers deserve 
more information.
  BPA is most commonly found in food products, such as the lining of 
canned goods like string beans, but consumers have no clear way of 
knowing this. The BPA in Food Packaging Right to Know Act is a simple 
solution to fix this problem. This legislation requires that food 
packaging that uses BPA include a clear label that reads, ``This food 
packaging contains BPA, an endocrine-disrupting chemical, according to 
the National Institutes of Health.'' This is basic information that 
consumers have the right to know so they can make informed decisions 
about the products they wish to purchase.
  This legislation also directs the Department of Health and Human 
Services to do a safety assessment of food containers that use BPA to 
determine if there is reasonable certainty that no harm will come from 
exposure, including from low doses over the long term. This safety 
standard would also apply to the evaluation of alternatives to BPA to 
ensure that replacement chemicals are not simply causing the same harm 
by a different name. The legislation calls specific attention to the 
effects of exposure on vulnerable populations, such as infants, 
children, pregnant women, and workers who are exposed through 
production practices or handling of final products.
  I am particularly concerned about the negative health effects to 
children who are exposed to chemicals both while they are developing in 
the womb and in the first few years of their lives. Children are 
particularly susceptible to toxins while their bodies are developing at 
such a rapid pace.
  According to Dr. Heather Patisaul, a biologist at North Carolina 
State University, when pregnant women are exposed to BPA and other 
endocrine-disrupting chemicals, three generations are impacted: the 
mother, the fetus, and the reproductive cells in the fetus. She cites 
that nearly 100 studies have shown an association between BPA exposure 
and negative health effects in humans. These include reproductive 
disorders, behavioral problems in children, and heart disease. In 
addition, there are over 1200 published animal studies on effects of 
BPA that show potential links to cancer, tumors, and brain development 
disorders.
  A recent study published in Hypertension, a journal by the American 
Heart Association, found that individuals who drank beverages from 
containers made with BPA had an acute increase in their blood pressure, 
compared with individuals who drank the same beverage from containers 
that did not use BPA. This shows the potential for an increased risk 
for heart disease.
  Another recent study, published in Endocrinology, a journal by the 
Endocrine Society, shows a link between fetal exposure to BPA and 
increased oxidative stress--an imbalance in the body's ability to 
protect against and repair cell damage.
  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 93 
percent of Americans have BPA in their bodies. As a society we are 
constantly exposed to low doses of this chemical over a long timeframe. 
Consumers deserve the opportunity to have more control over their own 
exposure and at the least should be provided information about if BPA 
is in the food products that they purchase.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the BPA in Food 
Packaging Right to Know Act and stand up for the rights of consumers to 
have this basic information.
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