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House Energy and Commerce Committee to Examine Different Proposed PFAS Bills
On Wednesday of this week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing to explore various legislative proposals to address the rise of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. A wide range of legislative solutions have been proposed by both Republicans and Democrats, and the Committee is attempting to determine with which bills it will proceed. Congress has shown a strong desire to address PFAS, particularly in light of the slow-moving response on the issue from the Environmental Protection Agency - a lethargy that many Members have criticized.
Since the start of the 116th Congress, a host of bills have been introduced by Members to address PFAS and the associated issues. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), also co-founded the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force to support legislative action on the issue.
For more information, please contact
Dr. Sri Vedachalam, Director of the Safe Drinking Water Research and Policy Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute
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U.S.-China Talks Fall Apart, Both Sides Impose Massive Tariffs
The ongoing trade talks between the U.S. and China have fallen apart. While it was always uncertain whether or not the negotiations would result in any agreement, much less one of substance or with any durability, they reached a low point Friday when the Trump Administration increased existing tariffs of 10% to 25% on $200 billion of Chinese goods imported by the United States. China quickly pledged to retaliate in kind, which it formalized this morning.
Other tariffs covering the rest of imports from China will also be hit with a 25% tariff after the
required rule making process, according to the White House. Essentially the entirety of the costs of all of these tariffs will quickly be passed on to American consumers.
After the Trump Administration claimed a continued string of successes in getting the Chinese government to make various commitments, the administration is now claiming that China has reneged on a number of those concessions. It is also a certain possibility that no concessions were ever made.
Both sides say that talks are still ongoing, but with one side imposing massive tariffs and the other implementing reciprocal retaliation, it is hard to see a cessation of the hostilities anywhere on the horizon.
For more information, please contact
Eric Heath
, Senior Policy Counsel for the Mississippi River Basin Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute
.
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Mississippi River Flooding, Low Commodity Prices Plague Farmers in the Midwest
In recent weeks, the water levels of the Mississippi River have reached some of their highest levels in decades. The subsequent flooding along the river basin has led to extensive problems for farmers. Last week, a 5-mile stretch of the river near St. Louis was shut down by the U.S. Coast guard,
according to the Washington Post.
With barges prevented from traversing the river, farmers struggle to move their crops to the market. Even when they get there, commodity prices are at historically low levels due to the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China. China, which previously imported more U.S. soybeans than any other country by a wide margin, has essentially halted soybean purchases from U.S. farmers aside from smaller bulk purchases by the Chinese government as a negotiating concession.
The flooding has already caused around $12 billion in damage this year, and the river might not be fully open for transport until June. Unfortunately, the trade-related problems will likely remain unsolved until an even later date.
For more information, please contact Eric Heath, Senior Policy Counsel for the Mississippi River Basin Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation
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