Improving Science in Chemical Assessments Act

Bill Number

H.R. 123

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Environmental Protection

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-01-03: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2025-02-03T17:29:11Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Improving Science in Chemical Assessments Act aims to enhance the quality and relevance of toxicity assessments for chemicals by shifting responsibility from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program to the agency's relevant program offices. It emphasizes coordination, the use of best available science, and avoiding duplication in evaluating human health risks from chronic chemical exposure.

Key Provisions

• Coordination of Research: EPA must align environmental research funding with the needs and priorities of its program offices and the agency's overall five-year research plan.
• Shift in Assessments: Toxicity assessments (known as "covered assessments," which evaluate health hazards and dose-response—how much exposure causes harm—from long-term chemical exposure) previously handled by IRIS must now be conducted by relevant EPA program offices (e.g., Office of Water, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention) if those offices determine a need exists. These assessments must follow specified scientific standards and rely on the weight of available evidence.
• Toxicity Values: Program offices must assign toxicity values (estimates of health risks) when supported by data, including ranges of risk estimates, uncertainties, and considerations of all relevant datasets to best represent human health risks.
• Chemical Assessment Database: EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) will maintain a centralized database for these toxicity values, incorporating existing IRIS data and updating it based on new assessments.
• Certification Requirement: Starting two years after enactment, ORD must submit biennial reports to congressional committees certifying that assessments meet the required scientific standards.
• Steering Committee: EPA must establish a 15-member committee, chaired by ORD's Assistant Administrator and composed of EPA employees from program and regional offices, to coordinate assessments, prevent duplication, and review qualified third-party assessments from federal, state, international, or scientific sources.
• Scientific Standards: Assessments must use the best available science, integrating all evidence lines and evaluating factors like data relevance, documentation transparency, uncertainty characterization, peer review, replicability, and support for non-linear dose-response modeling (approaches that account for varying risk levels at different exposures).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 by replacing Section 7 and adding new Sections 7A and 7B. Key changes include:

• Transferring covered assessments from the centralized IRIS program to decentralized program offices, potentially making them more tailored to specific regulatory needs.
• Introducing a new database to replace or supplement IRIS, with mandatory updates only when program offices deem necessary.
• Establishing formal scientific standards and a steering committee, which did not previously exist in this form, to ensure consistency, transparency, and efficiency.
• Requiring biennial certifications and consideration of third-party inputs, promoting broader scientific input while maintaining EPA oversight.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: EPA's internal processes will decentralize, potentially speeding up assessments relevant to specific programs (e.g., air or water regulations) but requiring better coordination to avoid overlaps. ORD gains a database maintenance role, and the steering committee adds administrative duties.
• On Citizens: Could lead to more reliable, evidence-based toxicity information used in regulations protecting public health from chemicals in air, water, and consumer products, though delays might occur during the transition.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but by incorporating qualified international agency assessments, it may align U.S. standards with global scientific efforts, facilitating cooperation on chemical safety.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• EPA Program Offices and ORD: Directly responsible for conducting, coordinating, and certifying assessments.
• Chemical Industry and Manufacturers: Affected by how toxicity values influence product regulations, permitting, and compliance costs.
• Public Health and Environmental Groups: Benefit from potentially stronger scientific basis for protections against chemical exposures.
• Scientific Community: Involved through peer review, third-party assessments, and standards emphasizing replicability and uncertainty analysis.
• Congressional Committees: Receive certifications and oversee implementation (e.g., House Science, Space, and Technology; Energy and Commerce; Senate Environment and Public Works).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Reinforces EPA's authority under existing environmental laws by mandating "best available science," which could strengthen defenses against legal challenges to regulations based on toxicity data. The shift from IRIS may require updates to related statutes like the Toxic Substances Control Act.
• Constitutional: No direct challenges; it aligns with Congress's oversight of executive agencies and promotes transparency in scientific decision-making, potentially upholding due process by ensuring evidence-based rulemaking.
• Political: Positions the bill as a reform to improve scientific integrity in EPA processes, which could appeal across party lines by emphasizing efficiency and rigor, but may spark debate over decentralization potentially politicizing assessments if program offices prioritize certain risks. Introduced in the 119th Congress (2025), it reflects ongoing efforts to refine federal chemical risk evaluation amid public concerns over environmental health.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5]

Recent Actions

• 2025-01-03: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-01-03: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-01-03: Introduced in House
• 2025-01-03: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Improving Science in Chemical Assessments Act — issued 2025-01-03 — PDF (9 pages)