Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-2277
Sponsor: Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-30]
Introduced: 2003-05-22 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Armed Forces and National Security
Asbestos
Cancer
Ceramics
Child health
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Environmental research
Environmental technology
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to health facilities
Federal aid to research
Fibers
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Hazardous wastes
Health
Health education
Health information systems
Housing and Community Development
Imports
Labor and Employment
Law
Lung cancer
Lung diseases
Manufacturing industries
Medical research
Medical screening
Medical tests
Minerals
Occupational health and safety
Pain
Preventive medicine
Product safety
Refuse and refuse disposal
Research centers
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Standards
Thermal insulation
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: 
Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2003 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to: (1) study and describe the current state of science concerning the human health effects of exposure to asbestos and other durable fibers; and (2) make recommendations for uniform systems for asbestos exposure standards and protocols for detecting and measuring asbestos. 
 
Directs the Administrator to establish an Asbestos Policies Panel to study asbestos and other durable fibers.
 
Directs the Administrator to study the status of the manufacture, processing, distribution, ownership, importation, and disposal of asbestos-containing products and contaminant-asbestos products.
 
Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations within one year which prohibit the manufacturing, processing, or distributing of asbestos-containing products, subject to limited exemption upon petition.
 
Requires the disposal of asbestos-containing products within three years, except as specified.
 
Requires the Administrator to establish a public awareness program concerning the dangers posed by these products and vermiculite insulation.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand research programs on diseases caused by asbestos exposure, particularly mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural injuries.
 
Establishes and funds mesothelioma disease research and treatment centers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1050-1051)
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: Introduced in House