I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6207 
To provide for the establishment of the Task Force on Environmental Health 
Risks and Safety Risks to Children. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 26, 2012 
Ms. SLAUGHTER (for herself, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Ms. CHU) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide for the establishment of the Task Force on 
Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Children’s Health Task 
Force Act of 2012’’. 
SEC. 2. TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS 
AND SAFETY RISKS TO CHILDREN. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency, acting jointly, shall establish 
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and maintain a permanent task force, to be known as the 
Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety 
Risks to Children (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Task 
Force’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Task Force shall be com-
posed of the following officials (or their designees): 
(1) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices, who shall serve as a Co-Chair of the Task 
Force. 
(2) The Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, who shall serve as a Co-Chair of 
the Task Force. 
(3) The Secretary of Education. 
(4) The Secretary of Labor. 
(5) The Attorney General of the United States. 
(6) The Secretary of Energy. 
(7) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Devel-
opment. 
(8) The Secretary of Agriculture. 
(9) The Secretary of Transportation. 
(10) The Secretary of Defense. 
(11) The Secretary of the Interior. 
(12) The Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget. 
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(13) The Chair of the Council on Environ-
mental Quality. 
(14) The Chair of the Consumer Product Safe-
ty Commission. 
(15) Such other officials of Federal depart-
ments and agencies as the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and the Administrator of the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, acting jointly, may 
designate or invite (as appropriate) to serve on the 
Task Force. 
(c) STAKEHOLDERS.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency, acting jointly, shall, as appro-
priate, invite representatives of stakeholders to attend 
meetings of the Task Force, appear before the Task 
Force, and file statements with the Task Force, subject 
to such requirements as the Secretary and Administrator 
may determine. 
(d) FUNCTIONS.—The Task Force shall recommend 
to the President and the Congress Federal strategies for 
addressing environmental health risks and safety risks to 
children in the United States, within projected budgetary 
limits, including the following: 
(1) 
Adoption 
of 
action 
plans, 
including 
multiyear and annual priorities, to address the prin-
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cipal environmental health risks and safety risks to 
children. 
(2) Initiatives that the Federal Government has 
undertaken or will undertake in addressing the prin-
cipal environmental health risks and safety risks to 
children. 
(3) Recommendations on how to improve cross- 
agency implementation of actions, including cross- 
agency budgeting, to address environmental health 
risks and safety risks to children. 
(4) Recommendations for a coordinated re-
search agenda for the Federal Government to ad-
dress environmental health risks and safety risks to 
children. 
(5) Recommendations for appropriate partner-
ships among Federal, State, local, and tribal govern-
ments and the private, academic, and nonprofit sec-
tors. 
(6) Proposed ways to enhance public outreach 
and communication to assist families in evaluating 
environmental health risks and safety risks to chil-
dren and in making informed consumer choices. 
(7) Proposed ways to strengthen the data sys-
tem in order to identify and track development of 
rulemakings and other actions to ensure they comply 
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with current policy on evaluating environmental 
health risks and safety risks to children. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—Not later than July 
31, 2013, and biennially thereafter, the Task Force 
shall submit to the President and the Congress, 
make publicly available, and disseminate widely a re-
port including— 
(A) the strategies developed and updated 
under subsection (d); 
(B) in the case of reports subsequent to 
the first report, a description of the accomplish-
ments of the Task Force since the preceding re-
port; 
(C) current national priorities for address-
ing environmental health risks and safety risks 
to children in the United States and any related 
emerging issues; 
(D) updates on Federal research findings 
and research needs regarding environmental 
risks and safety risks to children; 
(E) information submitted to the Task 
Force by Federal departments and agencies for 
inclusion in the report; 
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(F) appropriate recommendations by the 
Children’s Health Protection Advisory Com-
mittee; and 
(G) information submitted by stakeholders 
for inclusion in the report. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
REPORTING.—In addition to 
the biennial reports under paragraph (1), the Task 
Force— 
(A) may, as appropriate, submit to the 
President and the Congress such additional re-
ports and updates as necessary; 
(B) shall make any such reports and up-
dates publicly available; and 
(C) shall disseminate widely any such re-
ports and updates. 
(f) MEETINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force shall meet 
at least annually. 
(2) NOTICE.—The Task Force shall— 
(A) publish in the Federal Register timely 
notice of each upcoming meeting of the Task 
Force; and 
(B) provide for other types of public notice 
to ensure that all interested persons receive 
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timely notice of each upcoming meeting of the 
Task Force. 
(3) MINUTES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force shall 
record and maintain detailed minutes of each 
meeting of the Task Force, including— 
(i) the meeting agenda; 
(ii) a record of the persons present; 
(iii) a complete and accurate descrip-
tion of matters discussed at the meeting 
and conclusions reached; and 
(iv) copies of all reports received, 
issued, or approved by the Task Force in 
connection with the meeting. 
(B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY; COPYING.—The 
Task Force shall make such minutes available 
for public inspection and copying. 
(C) ACCURACY.—The Co-Chairs of the 
Task Force shall certify the accuracy of all such 
minutes. 
(g) TERMINATION OF EXISTING TASK FORCE.—The 
Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety 
Risks to Children established by Executive Order 13045 
(April 21, 1997) is hereby terminated. 
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(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated such 
sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2013 and each 
subsequent fiscal year. 
Æ 
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