Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, my amendment No. 96 prohibits funds to develop, finalize, issue, or use assessments under the EPA's Integrated Risk Information System, or IRIS program. The IRIS program has never been authorized by Congress and was created by the EPA out of thin air in the 1980s. It has been heavily criticized by everyone from former EPA officials, the National Academy of Sciences, Federal agencies, and the Government Accountability Office. Despite that, the EPA spends $20 million to $40 million of taxpayer money per year on the program. IRIS has a demonstrated history of conducting low-quality chemical risk assessments that failed to utilize the best available scientific data and establish very real regulations for private citizens and private companies. EPA has targeted a number of important chemistries, including formaldehyde; uranium; vanadium, a critical mineral; ethylene oxide, for sterilization of medical equipment; naphthalene, to shut down oil production; as well as others. IRIS risk assessments have been put forth at the expense of American jobs and cost public confidence in chemistries that are critical to activity across many sectors of the U.S. economy, from agriculture to furniture making to transportation and national security. Bipartisan concerns have been raised repeatedly in Congress about the failure of the IRIS program to utilize sound science and broad input in its evaluations. These concerns have been largely dismissed or ignored.…”