Bruce Vento Ban Asbestos and Prevent Mesothelioma Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-3339
Sponsor: Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Armed Forces and National Security
Asbestos
Commerce
Consumer protection
Data banks
Department of Health and Human Services
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to research
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Hazardous wastes
Health
Health education
Health information systems
Import restrictions
Labor and Employment
Law
Lung diseases
Manufacturing industries
Medical research
Military medicine
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Occupational health and safety
Product safety
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Bruce Vento Ban Asbestos and Prevent Mesothelioma Act of 2007 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to require the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to conduct studies and report on the health effects of non-asbestiform minerals and elongated mineral particles.

Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a plan to: (1) increase awareness of the dangers posed by asbestos-containing materials and 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.

Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations that prohibit the importing, manufacturing, processing, or distributing of asbestos-containing materials, subject to limited exemption upon petition and specified exemptions sought by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). States that such prohibitions do not apply to specified diaphragm electrolysis installations.

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

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: 2007-08-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in House