WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. House approved a Senate proposal today that would provide a 15-month extension to the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, which is set to expire on January 19^th. The American Chemistry Council is a long-time backer of the CFATS program because it helps support the ongoing efforts of our members to safeguard their facilities.

To date, ACC members have invested more than $21 billion under the Responsible Care Security Code^® to enhance site security, transportation security and cybersecurity.

The following statement can be attributed to ACC’s President and CEO, Cal Dooley:

“We applaud Democratic and Republican leadership in Congress for passing anti-terrorism legislation that will help preserve one of America’s most important national security programs, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS).

“Chairman Ron Johnson and Ranking Member Gary Peters played a critical role in making today’s vote possible by authoring a proposal that was able to garner bipartisan support in the House and the Senate. We thank them for their efforts and all of the committee leaders who worked on getting this legislation passed, which will help our members protect their facilities, their employees, the communities in which they operate, and the vital products they supply every day to the nation.”

“ACC and its members have testified many times in support of establishing a strong foundation for CFATS, and we are committed to continuing our work with Congress to provide CFATS with greater regulatory certainty and to make improvements to the program, including leveraging industry programs and ensuring employee screening focuses on high risk facilities and protects personal data.

“We urge President Trump to sign this legislation, which will give Congress time to work on bolstering CFATS and provide the regulatory certainty needed to support the industry’s ongoing efforts to safeguard chemical facilities and communities.”

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The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people’s lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®; common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues; and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $526 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation’s economy. It is among the largest exporters in the nation, accounting for ten percent of all U.S. goods exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.

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SOURCE American Chemistry Council