Bicameral Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 (ARBAN) Moves Forward in the House of Representatives

Bill Would Ban Asbestos Importation and Use Within One Year of Enactment

Bicameral Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 (ARBAN) Moves Forward in the House of Representatives
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The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an independent nonprofit dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure, applauds the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change of the U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, for voting today to move the bicameral Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 (ARBAN) forward to the full committee for markup. Today's vote coincides with Mesothelioma Awareness Day, celebrated globally and recognized with a flag flown over the Capitol.

"The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 will take long-overdue action to stop hundreds of tons of raw asbestos imports and asbestos containing products from entering the U.S. It will protect all Americans - workers, consumers, and children - from being exposed to this deadly threat," said Linda Reinstein, President of ADAO and widow to the bill's namesake. "Asbestos remains legal and lethal in the United States; it is past time we join the nearly 70 countries around the globe that have banned it to protect public health."

"Today's action by the Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee is a critical milestone for ARBAN, brings us significantly closer to its passage by the House, and ultimately its enactment into law," she continued. "We look forward to working with Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member Walden of the full committee to report out a strong bill that will protect our future generations from preventable death and disease from asbestos exposure."

"Asbestos, 'forever chemicals' like PFAS, and nuclear fuel waste all present unique but pressing challenges," Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko (D-NY) said in a statement. "With more than 40,000 Americans dying from asbestos-related diseases each year, and PFAS chemicals contaminating everything from water to household supplies, we are determined to pass legislative solutions that will protect Americans from these toxic substances."

ADAO sincerely thanks Subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko (D-NY), Ranking Member John Shimkus (R-Ill) Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-Or), along with Representative Bonamici, and many others, for their hard work and commitment to advance ARBAN on a bi-partisan basis.