Bill to Ban Asbestos Passes Senate
The U.S. Senate voted unanimously Thursday to pass S. 742, the Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007. The bill, championed by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), would ban the importation, manufacture, processing and distribution of asbestos-containing products, and direct the EPA to ensure that all asbestos products are off the shelves within two years of the bill's enactment. According to Senator Murray, currently 2,500 metric tons of asbestos are imported into the U.S. every year in hair dryers, ceiling ties, brake pads and other products.
Senator Murray and her staff have worked tirelessly for the past six years to shine a light on the dangers of asbestos and garner support for a bill to ban the deadly, cancer-causing material, meeting with labor leaders, lobbyists, lawyers, doctors, as well as with victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases and their families. Murray faced a lot of opposition in her fight to get this bill passed. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Murray stated that "when you go after an issue like this, you're fighting a lot of big-time money. Lobbyists for manufacturers, the sand and gravel folks, people with commercial interest and a lot of clout fought this. I wasn't surprised that many other (lawmakers) didn't want to get involved because they thought it was impossible." The bill, re-introduced in March, gained bi-partisan support with the help of Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and was unanimously approved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)) in August. (See Senator Murray's Bill to Ban Asbestos Moves Forward, posted August 1st).
If approved by the House and not vetoed by President Bush, with the passage of this bill the U.S. would join over 40 other countries who have banned asbestos. Senator Murray has stated that she is sure the bill will become law. In addition to banning asbestos, if passed, the bill would create a $50 million "Asbestos-Related Disease Research and Treatment Network" consisting of 10 new research and treatment centers around the country, and would create a new National Asbestos-Related Disease Registry to facilitate more comprehensive research.
The issue now shifts to the House where a companion bill, the Bruce Vento Ban Asbestos and Prevent Mesothelioma Act of 2007 (H.R. 3339) has been introduced by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN). Passage of the bill, named after Congressman Bruce Vento, who died from mesothelioma in 2000, is expected to be imminent.
For more information on Senator Murray's Bill to Ban Asbestos, click here.
i support the ban of all asbestos products from coming to this country, and more regulation on companies and corporation allowing their employee to expose to these dangerous products, my father has been recently diagnose with this ailiment and very horrible diease, i favor very heavily that this come to a stop immediately and should be adress to the next president canidate running for office now!