Last week a Senate committee made an historic vote helping all citizens. The Committee on Environment and Public Works voted to pass the Safe Chemicals Act, a bill designed to overhaul our seriously outdated chemical safety laws. An encouraging step for families dealing with a spectrum of neurological disorders and cancers linked to unregulated chemicals that show up in the air, water, food and consumer products we use and hope are safe. Daily toxic exposure from food cans, electronics, carpet padding, flame retardant dust leaching out of couches ... yikes.

This is the first official act by Congress to remedy the problem since 1976. I hope Senate Republicans can find a way to join in this important work. Meeting with Sen. Murkowski in D.C. during a Safer Chemicals action, led by an expanding network of concerned parents, teachers and health care professionals, gave me hope that she may show her support for this public health bill and co-sponsor soon. Chemical companies need boundaries too, not just kids.

-- Sonja Tobiessen

Anchorage