Speaking up for children’s health

murrayofficeEarth Ministry and the Washington State Nurses Association recently organized constituent meetings with US Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. These meetings brought together religious leaders and health professionals in support of strong federal legislation regarding toxic chemicals.

The group made specific requests for Senators Murray and Cantwell to strengthen the Chemical Safety Improvement Act. We stated our support for a national bill that won’t pre-empt existing state laws that ban specific toxic chemicals, and asked that vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with disabilities are explicitly included. We also asked the Senators to support the Environmental Protection Agency in having regulatory authority to make determinations on chemicals of concern.