PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6997-6999)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 22, 2003
Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2003 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to: (1) study and describe the current state of science concerning the human health effects of exposure to asbestos and other durable fibers; and (2) make recommendations for uniform systems for asbestos exposure standards and protocols for detecting and measuring asbestos.
Directs the Administrator to establish an Asbestos Policies Panel to study asbestos and other durable fibers.
Directs the Administrator to study the status of the manufacture, processing, distribution, ownership, importation, and disposal of asbestos-containing products and contaminant-asbestos products.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations within one year which prohibit the manufacturing, processing, or distributing of asbestos-containing products, subject to limited exemption upon petition.
Requires the disposal of asbestos-containing products within three years, except as specified.
Requires the Administrator to establish a public awareness program concerning the dangers posed by these products and vermiculite insulation.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand research programs on diseases caused by asbestos exposure, particularly mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural injuries.
Establishes and funds mesothelioma disease research and treatment centers.
People & committees
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] · D–WA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6997-6999)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6995-6997)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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