 From lead-influenced drinking water to massive chemical spills to carcinogens and children's toys, chemical contamination, and the huge health problems that come with it have become a major issue in recent years. Way back in 1976, Congress actually moved to keep Americans safe from dangerous chemicals by passing something called the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSEA. But, crazily enough, the legislation hasn't been updated since. So, our nation's primary defense against toxic chemicals comes from an era when this song was dominating the billboard charts. You know, I gotta say, as a white boy, that really speaks to me. In fact, of the 82,000 chemicals registered for commercial use since the TSEA first went into effect, only a measly 200 chemicals have undergone health and safety testing by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. I'm sorry. A lot of acronyms in this video. So it should come as welcome news that, after, you know, 40 years of doing nothing, the U.S. Senate has finally gotten around to passing a bill that will update how we deal with toxic chemicals. But don't get too excited just yet. The bill contains some glaring loopholes that have raised red flags for public health and safety advocates. And, surprise, surprise, the chemical industry's fingerprints and money are all over it. So, the most controversial loophole prevents individual states from taking action against anything the EPA designates as a high priority chemical. In other words, it gives the EPA, one, federal agency, the power to keep states from taking any kind of action against toxic chemicals for years at a time. And this is actually a really big deal. Due to political gridlock in Washington and the achingly slow pace of EPA reviews, many states have actually taken the lead in protecting their communities from toxic chemicals. And by and large, they've done a pretty good job. Maine, for example, has implemented tough safety standards on PBDEs, which are a flame retardant linked to developmental issues in children, as well as on BPAs, which are a potential carcinogen. And while the Senate's proposal won't undo existing state laws like the ones passed in Maine, it would prevent states from enacting future reforms, including anything that's in progress now that hasn't been passed yet. Like the ongoing efforts to ban certain flame retardant chemicals and other potential carcinogens in Washington state in California. Now, advocates of the Senate bill argue that states aren't permanently banned from acting on these chemicals, but merely prevented from taking action while the EPA conducts its reviews. But what they don't mention is that these reviews can take an enormous amount of time, and when I say an enormous amount of time, we're talking about decades. And that's just one loophole in the Senate bill. Another would make it much harder for the EPA to prevent foreign products containing dangerous chemicals from being imported into the United States. In other words, it would be even easier for toxic toys, furniture, and other consumer products to show up in American stores and homes. And perhaps most troublingly, neither the Senate nor the House version of this bill require companies to prove that new chemicals are actually safe before bringing them to market. But I mean, hey, history has shown us that new, untested chemicals are always good for us, right? Right? So, how did all these industry-friendly loopholes make it into the Senate's final bill? Well, would you believe me if I told you the chemical industry spent tons of money to influence this legislation? Because that's... that's exactly what happened. That's what they did. When an early version of the bill was first introduced back in 2013, interest groups supporting the legislation directed more than $54 million in political contributions to U.S. senators, outspending their opponents by a huge 8-to-1 margin. The chemical industry also has massive lobbying presence on Capitol Hill. Just last year, it was revealed that the American Chemistry Council, a leading chemical industry lobbying organization with a documented history of meddling in state politics, may have actually written entire portions of the Senate legislation themselves. Yes, that's right. They're writing their own regulation, riddled with loopholes, then paying Congress to pass it for them. I mean, it's just... I mean, you just can't... And you'd be hard-pressed to find a more flagrant conflict of interest. I mean, remember those states like Washington and California that are cracking down on carcinogens and toxic flame retardants? Well, it turns out that American Chemistry Council members make those carcinogens and toxic flame retardants. So, when the Senate bill becomes law, individual states will be forced to abandon their safety efforts, allowing the American Chemistry Council members to continue producing and selling their chemicals without restrictions. Now, the bipartisan wonder duo that helped usher the legislation through the Senate is made up of Senator Tom Udall, a Democrat from New Mexico, and David Vitter, a Republican from Louisiana. And both of them, surprise, surprise, are also big beneficiaries of the chemical industry's generosity. The chemical industry has given Senator Udall tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and run TV ads praising his strength and wisdom. Senator Vitter has also attracted big donations to both his campaign and to a super PAC supporting his failed bid for Governor of Louisiana. And as usual, industries willing to spend big on political contributions and lobbying have gotten to write their own rules, even when it means tearing power away from local governments and putting regular people in danger. And this is also a prime example of why anti-corruption reform brings together such an unlikely alliance of conservatives and progressives, because when big money merges with big government, nobody wins. Alrighty, that's it for this week. Thanks so much for watching Follow the Money, and don't forget we've got new episodes every Thursday. If you'd like to catch all of our episodes instead of just the handful that Facebook feels like showing you, Zuckerberg, then please do us a favor and subscribe to our YouTube channel right here. And remember, if you've got any questions about money, politics, or corruption, just send an email to mailbagatrepresent.us or tweet at us at represent.us, spell out the dot, D-O-T, for a chance to have your question answered in one of our special mailbag episodes. Yeah, mailbag. I'm Monsour for Represent Us, and I'll see you next time. Thanks for watching.