Because pesticide companies have demanded it. And they sweetened the demand with sacks of re-election money. The pesticide industry never much liked the law, though they have become more candid about their views in the past year. They especially do not like the way the EPA has begun to implement it in ways that could be very good for kids, but very bad for the pesticide business. In a number of cases the emergency has consisted of weeds sprouting in farmers' fields year after year after year.
Politicians vote to protect kids with tougher pesticide regulation.
And then they rake in reelection money from the coalition of pesticide and agribusiness groups that wrote the bill that would destroy the original law protecting kids. The Regulatory Openness and Fairness Act of 1999. We hereby submit it and its supporters as our entry in the Congressional Hypocrisy Hall of Shame.