Despite the most proactive and protective actions we can take as consumers and as parents, we must rely on our government to ensure so much is safe: The food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, even the toys our children play with.
But right now, Congress is moving forward with sweeping legislation that could undercut major laws that keep us safe. They call it “regulations” – we call them protections.
Surprisingly little attention has been paid to a bill that could undermine the very idea that any product at all will remain safe going forward. These two pieces of legislation—the Regulatory Accountability Act and the REINS Act—are radical threats to public health that have broad, overreaching consequences.
The Regulatory Accountability Act would fundamentally alter how Americans protect themselves from unsafe pollution, chemicals, drugs and other dangers – by undermining the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and a slew of other laws affecting public health and safety.
Rather than repealing these popular laws – which would probably draw more public outcry – the bill would simply incapacitate them by, in effect, preventing agencies from creating or enforcing rules under such laws. They will render agencies incapable of implementing and enforcing commonsense safety laws that have broad public support.
The REINS Act would require Congressional approval of rules, effectively giving either branch of Congress, or powerful lobbying groups, a “pocket veto” on safeguards. The Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA) would create hurdles to rulemaking similar to the one that kept America from banning asbestos. Yep, did you know asbestos isn’t actually banned despite being one of the first hazardous air pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act of 1970? These dangerous bills have either already passed the House (RAA) or were placed on Senate Legislative Calendar just this week (REINS).
These “reforms” will have a broad impact in hampering protections and pose innumerable dangers to our families. For example, the RAA would make it difficult or impossible to enforce food standards like labels for allergens, trans fats elimination, arsenic removal, and GMO labeling.
These bills would undermine product safety for nearly every item our children interact with – from toys to sippy cups – by stalling or killing future protections. From asbestos in classrooms to lead in drinking water and even the safety of the school buses, the RAA and REINs Act would make it harder to keep our kids safe in school. Protections to safeguard our children from toxic chemicals would be difficult if impossible to implement under these bills – so we must fight them.
How We Can Stop It
You can take action against the RAA & REINS Act by emailing your members of Congress via this simple click-to-email tool.
And if you want the opportunity to do more – and even speak with your members of Congress face to face – contact your local Moms Clean Air Force chapter to learn more about opportunities to meet with your elected officials.
Disclosure: This sponsored post was created in partnership with Clean Air Moms Action. Regardless, my opinions are honest. See my full disclosure here.
Paige’s Books
As Seen In
