House Panel Passes Bill To Reduce Allowable Lead Levels In Paint

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 27 Jun 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would strengthen restrictions on lead-based paint used in houses, CongressDaily reports. House Financial Services Subcommittee Chair Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) said most of the children affected by exposure to lead-based paint are poor minorities living in older homes.

According to bill sponsor Rep. Keith Ellison (R-Minn.) and other lawmakers, despite a 1992 law that restricted the use of lead-based paint in houses, hundreds of thousands of children are exposed to excessive levels of lead, which can cause brain damage and other serious health problems.

Ellison's legislation would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce the standard on allowable lead levels in the blood of children by about 50% to meet the standard established by CDC. The bill also would require HUD to report to Congress on the progress of efforts to reduce use of lead-based paint in houses (Kreisher, CongressDaily, 6/24).

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