Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-3285
Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2007-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Armed Forces and National Security
Asbestos
Cancer
Clinical trials
Commerce
Consumer education
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Environmental research
Federal aid to health facilities
Federal aid to research
Fibers
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Hazardous wastes
Health
Health education
Health information systems
Import restrictions
Labeling
Labor and Employment
Law
Lung cancer
Lung diseases
Manufacturing industries
Medical research
Medical screening
Medical tests
Military medicine
Minerals
Occupational health and safety
Pain
Preventive medicine
Product safety
Refuse and refuse disposal
Research centers
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: 
Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to require the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to conduct a study that: (1) describes the science concerning the disease mechanisms and health effects of exposure to asbestos and other biopersistent durable fibers and methods for measuring and analyzing asbestos; (2) describes labeling practices relating to asbestos-containing material; and (3) recommends future asbestos-related disease research and exposure assessment practice needs. 
 
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations that prohibit the importing, manufacturing, processing, or distributing of asbestos-containing products, subject to limited exemption upon petition and specified exemptions sought by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Requires the disposal of asbestos-containing products within two years. Exempts products that are no longer in the stream of commerce or that are in the possession of an end user.

Requires the Administrator to establish a plan to: (1) increase awareness of the dangers posed by asbestos-containing products and contaminants in homes and workplaces and by asbestos-related diseases; (2) provide information to, and encourage participation in research and treatment endeavors by, asbestos-related disease patients and their families and front-line health care providers; and (3) encourage health care providers and researchers to provide to patients and their families information relating to research, diagnostic, and clinical treatments relating to asbestos.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand and coordinate research programs on diseases caused by asbestos exposure, particularly mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural injuries; (2) provide for establishment of a national clearinghouse for data and specimens relating to asbestos-related diseases; (3) require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish an asbestos-related disease research and treatment network; and (4) direct the Secretary to support research on mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases that is directly relevant to the health of the Armed Forces.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Introduced in House