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Late Breaking News |
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| Date: August 26, 1998 9:30 am Contact: Physicians for Social Responsibility Embargoed until 9:30 am August 26, 1998 Sharon Pickett 301-365-9307 Sharon Newsome 202-898-0150 ext.230 |
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Latest News Releases
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Physicians Give Failing Grade to Congress on Child Health Issues;
PSR Children’s Environmental Health Report Card to be Presented at Press Breakfast |
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| WASHINGTON - August 26 - The PSR Children’s Environmental
Health Report Card, a 106-page report released today by Physicians for Social
Responsibility (PSR), gives a grade of "F" to the 105th Congress and an
"A-" to the Clinton Administration. Using a poster-size version of a report
card, PSR speakers will discuss the report on August 26th at 9:30 am at the Old Ebbitt
Grill. The report identifies 22 bills related to child health and safety and assigns Congressional grades based on the merit of the bills and subsequent actions taken by each chamber. President Clinton is graded on eight child-related Administrative initiatives taken during the past two years. "As our children head back to school, we check their immunization records, strap on their seatbelts, and do all we can to protect them from harm," said Dr. Robert K. Musil, Executive Director of PSR. "But parents and teachers can only do so much. We must depend on government leaders to enact the kinds of laws and policies that protect our children from pollution, pesticides, global warming, radioactive waste, gun violence, and other threats to health and safety. Unfortunately, the 105th Congress has weakened current laws that protect children’s health and safety and passed no new legislation on their behalf. If children’s health is a criteria for evaluating success, this Congress would fail miserably." According to the PSR report, both the House and Senate introduced and passed legislation that harms children. They tried to roll back clean air standards, slow clean up of Superfund and brownfield sites, delay efforts to control the use of germicides and pesticides, and stop EPA action on global warming. In contrast, the Clinton Administration has taken several important steps to ensure the well being of children including efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, keep guns away from children, and hold federal agencies accountable for children’s health and safety. "Doctors see cancer and asthma victims everyday," said PSR President-Elect Tom Hobbins, M.D. "It is our responsibility to speak up on behalf of our patients, and especially on behalf of children. But Congress must assume its responsibility as well." PSR will deliver the Children’s Environmental Health Report Card to the White House and Congress and use the report to hold political leaders accountable on issues that affect child health and safety. Please call 301-365-9307 to RSVP for breakfast. PSR CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH REPORT CARD 1997-1998 Actions on Children’s Health The House of Representatives introduced legislation that would have rolled back clean air standards weakens the Superfund hazardous waste law The House passed legislation that imposes procedural roadblocks that make it easier for industry to avoid cleaning up pollution puts highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel on our nation’s roads and railways In addition, the House passed restrictions on funding for the EPA including: a ban on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions delay of regulations on harmful mercury emissions by power plants a delay on efforts to protect children from pesticides on food a moratorium on PCB cleanup in the Hudson and Housatonic Rivers The Senate introduced legislation that no longer requires permanent remedies and treatment for Superfund sites weakens environmental protection efforts by requiring excessive cost-benefit analyses and risk assessments The Senate passed legislation that puts radioactive waste on our nation’s roads and railways The Senate also passed an appropriations bill that restricts EPA funding and imposes: restrictions that prevent the EPA from taking action to reduce global warming a delay in stopping the unauthorized use of germicides on children’s products a ban on using federal dollars to establish loans for clean up of brownfield sites The Administration issued the 1997 Presidential Executive Order on Children’s Health and Safety worked to reduce greenhouse gases by promoting efficient technologies and strong emission reduction targets both nationally and internationally endorsed legislation that would keep guns out of the hands of children Two federal agencies are noteworthy for their efforts on behalf of children’s health To address children’s health issues, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has expanded toxic monitoring systems, created a web site, trained public health officials, and improved assessments at Superfund sites. The EPA has set up an Office on Children’s Health and proposed tougher standards for reporting persistent toxic chemicals. ### |
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