http://www.wsj.com/articles/house-pa...ill-1464125287
Really surprising that a Congress this polarized could vote near-unanimously on a major bill. Especially surprising is that it's a bill strengthening the EPA of all things.WASHINGTON—The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved new chemical safety rules designed to overhaul federal regulation covering thousands of chemicals in daily use, a rare bipartisan action in a year when Congress is torn by presidential politics.
Trade groups representing Dow Chemical Co., DuPont Co. and others pushed for the legislation as states, and even large retailers like Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Lowe’s Cos., and Target Corp., were stepping in with their own, sometimes far-reaching rules over concerns about chemical safety.
The bill, the first significant update to federal chemicals safety law in 40 years, is expected to be passed by the Senate as soon as this week and signed into law by President Barack Obama. It passed 403 to 12.
It gives the Environmental Protection Agency authority to evaluate and impose restrictions on chemicals used in everything from dry-cleaning to grease removal to paint thinners. In most cases, that authority preempts states from passing laws to regulate a chemical while the EPA is making its determination.
The chemical companies and interest groups support this because they're losing money from cautious stores not stocking their products. Essentially, the idea is that if the EPA has actual power to control dangerous chemicals, then stores and people will have more trust in the products that do make it to the shelves.
Thoughts?