[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 18929-18930]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             ROTTERDAM CONVENTION ON PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, this week, seventy-four nations are 
meeting in Geneva at the first Conference of the Parties to the 
Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) for Certain 
Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides. This important international 
agreement establishes a legally binding framework that requires 
exporters of listed substances to secure informed consent from 
governments of importing countries prior to any shipment of such 
chemicals. Simply put, the convention recognizes and incorporates the 
basic principle of right-to-know with respect to trade in hazardous 
chemicals. As such, it marks yet another positive step in the direction 
of a comprehensive international approach to chemicals management.
  Unfortunately, the United States is not yet a party to the 
convention, and thus will not be at the table this week when important 
decisions are made regarding organization, scope, and future direction. 
Earlier this week, for example, the parties agreed to add fourteen new 
chemicals to the convention's list of substances requiring informed 
consent. Because we are not a party, the United States did not 
participate in that decision.
  Lest one think this is an exceptional case, the Rotterdam Convention 
is one of three important international agreements on chemicals that 
the United States has signed, but so far failed to ratify. The two 
other agreements--the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic 
Pollutants (POPs) and the POPs Protocol to the Convention on Long Range 
Transboundary Air Pollution--ban or severely restrict the production 
and use of some of the most hazardous chemicals in existence. Both 
agreements have entered into force, and preparations are being made for 
the first meetings of the parties. Yet, the United States is not on 
board.
  Although our Government played a leading role in negotiating all of 
these agreements and despite the fact that the United States is a 
signatory to each, the current administration along with the leadership 
in Congress has so far failed to move the necessary implementing 
legislation that would allow the United States to become a party. Such 
legislation involves the work of four different committees in the 
Congress. To date, however, only the Senate Environment and Public 
Works Committee has reported a bill, which I co-sponsored with Senator 
Chafee. This bill provides a reasonable and effective approach to 
meeting our current obligations under all three of these agreements, 
while also providing a robust mechanism for accommodating future 
decisions of the parties. I would urge my colleagues to follow our lead 
and swiftly enact sensible implementing legislation. The United States

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cannot afford to sit on the sidelines any longer.

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