Subcommittee Looks At ATSDR Problems, Possible Solutions Chairman Brad Miller

Last year, the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing and released a staff report on how the agency came to issue a scientifically-flawed formaldehyde health consultation for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The flawed report and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)’s botched response resulted in tens of thousands of survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita remaining in travel trailers laden with high levels of formaldehyde.

In the 111 th Congress, the Subcommittee is continuing to look into ATSDR malfeasance with its March 12 th hearing asking ATSDR: Problems in the Past, Potential for the Future? Witnesses testified that the agency refused to acknowledge a link between a cancer cluster in Pennsylvania and environmental contamination despite persuasive evidence, has used flawed methods to investigate depleted uranium exposures among residents in Colonie, New York and has refused to acknowledge suffering among children and animals in Midlothian, Texas that residents say is being caused by local cement factories

“For the last two years, this Subcommittee has heard story after story about problems at ATSDR; problems that threaten the health and safety of the American public,” said Subcommittee Chairman Brad Miller . “Fixing ATSDR requires a cultural shift of the agency. If ATSDR’s leadership doesn’t make changes and make them soon, Congress needs a ‘Plan B’ to protect the public health.”

Read more about the Committee’s work with ATSDR >>

Subcommittee Jurisdiction

Committee Rule 11(a)(5)

General and special investigative authority on all matters within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science and Technology.