“Residents of Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh have a right to know timely information about the condition of water in their public systems and private wells. The House-passed measure calling for regular testing combined with an expanded high-priority list of toxic chemicals is a step in the right direction. Now, more must be done. The Cuomo administration continues to move far too slowly in its remediation of local water supplies. When I visited Hoosick Falls and listened to the concerns of local residents and officials, those dealing with the effects of PFOA contamination told me that answers and accountability from state authorities were still not forthcoming. It’s unacceptable.”– John Faso

Background: Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19) announced the passage in the House yesterday of HR 2576, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which modernizes the Toxic Substances Control Act to institute more rigorous oversight of thousands of chemicals that are used commercially. HR 2576, which passed the House 403-12, updates the 40-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act by removing barriers to repeat chemical testing, mandating safety reviews of chemicals already in use, making more information available to the public, limiting animal testing whenever reliable alternatives exist, and setting deadlines for EPA decisions and compliance with restrictions, among other initiatives. The bill also incorporates Trevor’s Law, the Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act, which requires the EPA to designate and investigate clusters of cancer patients across the country.

Faso is running to fill the seat now held by Congressman Chris Gibson (R), who is not seeking re-election. As a member of the New York Assembly, Faso developed and pushed proposals that led to real balanced budgets – including the first reduction in state spending in decades while closing a $5 billion deficit. He championed legislation that made a difference for tens of thousands of families such as the STAR program and education and real property tax reform. A former board member of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, Faso also served for three years as a member of the Control Board that worked to fix the financial and managerial issues of the City of Buffalo and its school system.

Mr. Faso and his wife, Mary Frances, a registered nurse, are the proud parents of two children. They have lived in Kinderhook, New York, for more than three decades.

John Faso (R-Kinderhook) is former Republican leader of the state Assembly and candidate for Congress in the 19th Congressional district. To learn more about Faso, visit johnfaso.com.

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