Asbestos

In the News

Senate passes Murray bill to ban asbestos - Thursday, the Senate voted unanimously to pass Murray's ban on the importation of asbestos, which still is found in more than 3,000 consumer products. If approved by the House and not vetoed by the president, the United States will finally join more than 40 other nations that have banned the cancer-causing material.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - October 4, 2007

Murray's Asbestos bill advances - "My bill is moving forward quickly with strong bipartisan support, and we shouldn't jeopardize this historic opportunity to finally protect American workers and their families from deadly asbestos," she said.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 31, 2007

Murray pushes for asbestos ban this year - "It's been shocking to me that after six years and a number of deaths of good people, we're still sitting in a committee. I have more hope this year than I've had in six years," Murray said after her bill was the focus of a hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 12, 2007

Emboldened Murray re-introduces asbestos bill - "The stakes are just too high. To anyone who says, 'We don't need this bill,' I would just pose one question: How many more Americans have to die before our government finally does the right thing and bans asbestos?"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 2, 2007

Bush calls for limits on asbestos lawsuits - But congressional Democrats, led by Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, said the president's approach is too narrow to gain their support and tilted toward providing relief to companies while offering few guarantees that thousands of sickened workers would be compensated.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 8, 2005

Editorial: Asbestos bill is short on fairness - "The Hatch proposal also includes Washington Sen. Patty Murray's ban on some remaining uses of asbestos, a needed step. But Hatch's bill, which could come to a vote as early as tomorrow, isn't the right fix. There are too few guarantees of action for asbestos victims, too little assurance of adequate compensation and a general favoring of corporate interests."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 21, 2004

Fix the asbestos bill - "Sen. Patty Murray (D- Wash.) has worked harder than anyone in the Senate to get an asbestos ban. Hatch included the ban in the act because of her efforts. But Murray herself won't vote for it unless the overall bill is fixed."
- New Jersey Star Ledger - March 9, 2004

Bill would save firms billions - Hatch - in his latest bill - accepted part of Murray's bill as a peace offering to Democrats opposed to the Fairness Act. But Hatch gutted Murray's provisions that would protect people like the miners in Libby, and at the talc and taconite mines elsewhere in the country, who are also exposed to asbestos contamination.
- St. Louis Post Dispatch - January 31, 2004

EPA warning on asbestos is under attack - "Court filings and public health surveys indicate that thousands of auto-workers are diagnosed each year with asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Few mechanics take protective measures when working with brakes - mainly they say - because they believe asbestos is no longer present."
- St. Louis Dispatch - October 26, 2003

U.S. imports of asbestos brake material are on rise - "Murray said that regardless of the Hatch bill, she will continue to fight for her asbestos bill. It is outrageous that at the same time Congress is trying to protect consumers from future asbestos lawsuits, we continue to import and consume more and more asbestos."
- St. Louis Dispatch - October 26, 2003

Asbestos remains a staple in some products, posing danger to some U.S. workers - "More than 30 other countries, including the European Union, have banned -- or are in the process of banning -- asbestos. Even Latvia and Slovenia have banned asbestos. Don't American workers deserve to be protected from this silent killer, too?"
- Spartanburg Journal-Herald - September 7, 2003

Editorial: Senate's good start could ban asbestos -"Hatch also has added a critical idea proposed by Washington's Sen. Patty Murray: banning the use of asbestos. An asbestos ban ought to have been an obvious idea decades ago, when studies established its dangers."
- Seattle Post-Inteligencer - July 25, 2003

Editorial: F.A.I.R. gets fairer - “Many people think asbestos was banned during the 1970s. It wasn't. That’s where Ms. Murray came in. She persuaded Mr. Hatch, the bill's sponsor, to accept an amendment enacting a nationwide ban on asbestos in consumer products and outlawing imports of products containing asbestos.”
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch - June 30, 2003

Utah Senator’s Bill Might Ban Asbestos (requires registration) - "Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who is pushing for the asbestos ban, showed up at a packed committee hearing with an enlarged photo of Minneapolis children playing in a pile of asbestos-tainted vermiculite. She said that under Hatch's bill, if the two children got sick decades later from breathing the asbestos fibers, 'neither one would receive a dime because they were not exposed to asbestos on the job.'"
- Minneapolis Star Tribune - June 5, 2003

Asbestos ban likely to end up in a bill Murray's against - “Sen. Patty Murray's long shot desire to ban asbestos in the United States got a significant boost yesterday when the author of a bill to compensate asbestos victims said he would include the ban in his legislation.”
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 5, 2003

Hatch says time running out on asbestos bill - "If we're going to protect corporations far into the future, we should protect victims far into the future,'' Murray said.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 5, 2003

Murray trying to link asbestos ban to bill for victims - Murray: "Why on Earth does Congress allow thousands of tons of asbestos to continue to be put into consumer products every year? This is the elephant in the room for this legislation.”
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 4, 2003

Asbestos Victims’ Advocacy Group Endorses Murray Bill - “MARF solidly supports Senator Patty Murray (D_WA) in her courageous attempt to ban asbestos and provide funding for mesothelioma research and treatment, through her Ban Asbestos in America Act, S. 1115."
- June 3, 2003

Editorial: Asbestos ban must move forward
“A killing spree must be halted. That's the point behind Sen. Patty Murray's bill to ban asbestos in consumer products . . . We must stop a known killer, not just deal with the losses afterward.”
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 29, 2003

Murray tries again to outlaw asbestos; Senator hopes federal study, rising profile will help new bill "Encouraged by a federal study's unexpected conclusion that asbestos should be banned, Sen. Patty Murray introduced legislation yesterday that would remove thousands of common products laced with the cancer-causing mineral from the market.”

“‘I've been told I can't get things done. I've been told I'm taking on fights that are too big. Well, this fight is big and ... I'll tell you we have to do this. It is the right thing to do, and I will fight every single day to get this done,’ she said.”
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 23, 2003

Panel urges U.S. to ban asbestos imports
"… this report is the clearest signal possible that Sen. Murray's legislation must be passed and implemented as soon as possible," said [asbestos expert Barry] Castleman, who participated in the EPA-funded panel.
- St. Louis Post Dispatch - May 3, 2003

"Senator, officials join victim of asbestos in decrying delays"
- Spokesman Review - February 19, 2003 (NOTE: This site requires registration.)

"EPA will relent, warn public about asbestos in insulation" - Debate about the dangers of Zonolite still rages within the EPA, but pressure from Congress apparently has spurred a "major announcement" that could come within weeks.
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch - February 18, 2003

"Murray turns up the heat over decision to scrap asbestos alert"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 11, 2003

"Members of Congress want EPA explanation on vermiculite"
- Minneapolis Star Tribune - February 11, 2003

"Murray scolds EPA on pulling asbestos warnings"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 7, 2003

"Murray recounts pair's cautionary tale; Washington senator pushes for nationwide warning about Zonolite"
- Spokesman Review - February 7, 2003 (NOTE: This site requires registration.)

"EPA vermiculite study finds high levels of asbestos"
- Minneapolis Star Tribune - February 7, 2003

Editorial: "Stopping asbestos is job for Congress, administration"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 15, 2003

"Grace tried to stifle warning; Company asked EPA not to warn public about asbestos insulation in homes"
- Spokesman Review - January 11, 2003
(NOTE: This site requires registration.)

Commentary: "Feds Wrong to Stop Zonolite Warning"
- Spokesman Review - January 3, 2003
(NOTE: This site requires registration.)

"Murray Promises to Renew Push for Asbestos Warnings"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - December 30, 2002

"Congress Must Eliminate Asbestos"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 1, 2002

"Feds Fear Asbestos Poisoning Spread Beyond Montana"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 21, 2002

"EPA Investigating Spread of Libby Asbestos"
- Spokesman-Review - June 21, 2002

"Senate Bill Would Ban Asbestos, but Industry Seeks Relief From Lawsuits"
- Tacoma News Tribune - June 19, 2002

"Bill Would Ban Asbestos"
- Associated Press - June 19, 2002

"Facing Tough Fight, Murray Offers Bill to Ban Asbestos"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 19, 2002

"Murray's Bill Takes Lead in New Round Against Asbestos"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 18, 2002

"Vento's Widow Backs Asbestos Ban"
- St. Paul Pioneer Press - June 18, 2002

"EPA to remove asbestos insulation from homes in Libby"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 10, 2002

"Libby held up as reason for asbestos ban"
- Spokane Spokesman-Review - August 1, 2001

"Senate told of asbestos dangers"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer- August 1, 2001

"U.S. senators will examine health toll from asbestos"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 28, 2001

"Murray seeks asbestos hearings"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 2, 2001

"Asbestos: The Forgotten Killer"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"A town left to die" - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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