June 2, 2015

The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader
United States Senate Washington, DC 20510

Dear Majority Leader McConnell:

We are writing as members of the American Alliance for Innovation (AAI) to strongly urge you to bring S.697, the ―Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act,‖ to the Senate floor for a vote prior to the August recess.

The AAI is an alliance of trade associations representing businesses both large and small from across the economy. We represent many major sectors of our economy—all along the chemicals value chain—including aerospace, agriculture, apparel, automotive, building and construction materials, chemical and raw material production, consumer and industrial goods, distribution, electronics, energy, equipment manufacturers, food and grocery, footwear, healthcare products and medical technology, information technology, mining and metals, paper products, plastics, retail, storage, and travel goods.

Passage of S.697 is critical to further ensuring the safe use of chemicals, while encouraging innovation and the development of new products, and maintaining America’s ability to compete in today’s global marketplace.

Improving the regulation of chemicals used in commerce is a top priority for each of our organizations, since it will have a profound impact on each of our industries, the products that we make and/or the services we provide, and the millions of workers we represent.

S.697 is a balanced compromise, passed out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on a strong bipartisan vote of 15-5, which presents the Senate an historic opportunity to pass the first successful reform of a major environmental law since the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The bill has the support of 20 Democratic and 20 Republican cosponsors. We believe S.697 deserves consideration before the full Senate and ask that you consider it for floor action in June or July.

Sincerely,

Adhesive and Sealant Council
Agricultural Retailers Association
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
Alkylphenols & Ethoxylates Research Council
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Aluminum Association
American Apparel & Footwear Association
American Architectural Manufacturers Association
American Bakers Association
American Chemistry Council
American Cleaning Institute
American Coatings Association
American Composites Manufacturers Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Fiber Manufacturers Association
American Foundry Society
American Frozen Food Institute
American Gas Association
American Road & Transportation Builders Association
American Trucking Associations
APA
The Engineered Wood Association
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
Association of Global Automakers, Inc.
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Auto Care Association
Biotechnology Industry Organization
Can Manufacturers Institute
Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products
Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing
Chemical Fabrics and Film Association
Color Pigments Manufacturers Association
Composite Lumber Manufacturers Association
Consumer Electronics Association
Consumer Healthcare Products Association
Consumer Specialty Products Association
Copper & Brass Fabricators Council, Inc.
Corn Refiners Association
Council of Great Lakes Industries
Council of Producers & Distributors of Agrotechnology
CropLife America
Edison Electric Institute
EPS Industry Alliance
ETAD North America
Extruded Polystyrene Foam Association
Fashion Accessories Shippers Association
Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association
Flexible Packaging Association
Flexible Vinyl Alliance
Food Marketing Institute
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Grocery Manufacturers Association
Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance
Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
Industrial Environmental Association
Industrial Minerals Association - North America
Institute of Makers of Explosives
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.
Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils
International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses
International Dairy Foods Association
International Fragrance Association North America
International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers
International Sleep Products Association
International Warehouse Logistics Association
International Wood Products Association
Interstate Natural Gas Association of America
Juice Products Association
Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association
Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association
Methanol Institute
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
National Association of Chemical Distributors
National Association of Landscape Professionals
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers
National Black Chamber of Commerce
National Council of Textile Organizations
National Fisheries Institute
National Grain and Feed Association
National Grocers Association
National Industrial Sand Association
National Lime Association
National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association
National Marine Manufacturers Association
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pest Management Association
National Restaurant Association
National Retail Federation
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association
National Tank Truck Carriers
National Tooling & Machining Association
North American Die Casting Association
North American Meat Institute
Oregon Women in Timber
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Personal Care Products Council
Personal Watercraft Industry Association
Petroleum Marketers Association of America
Pine Chemicals Association, Inc.
Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association
Plastics Pipe Institute
Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
Polyurethane Manufacturers Association
Portland Cement Association
Precision Machined Products Association
Precision Metalforming Association
PVC Pipe Association
Recreation Vehicle Industry Association
Resilient Floor Covering Institute
Reusable Packaging Association
RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)
Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association
Rubber Manufacturers Association
Snack Food Association
Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates
Specialty Graphic Imaging Association
SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association
Sports & Fitness Industry Association
Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance
SPRI, Inc. (representing the Single Ply Roofing Industry)
Structural Insulated Panel Association
Styrene Information & Research Center
Textile Rental Services Association
The Carpet and Rug Institute
The Chlorine Institute
The Silver Institute
The Vinyl Institute
The Vision Council
Thermoset Resin Formulators Association
Toy Industry Association
Travel Goods Association
Treated Wood Council
United Egg Producers
USA Rice Federation
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Utility Solid Waste Activities Group
Vinyl Building Council
Vinyl Siding Institute, Inc.
Wallcoverings Association
Waterways Council, Inc.
Window and Door Manufacturers Association

 cc: U.S. Senator John Barrasso
 U.S. Senator John Cornyn
U.S. Senator James Inhofe
U.S. Senator Michael Rounds
U.S. Senator John Thune
U.S. Senator David Vitter