WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) participated in a Senate Environment and Public Works hearing where he advocated for improved regulations and sound, risk-based science in the chemical review process. In discussing the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA), Ricketts noted the importance of chemicals in the agriculture and semiconductor industries.
“We all know that chemicals are essential to modern life,” said Ricketts. ”In agriculture, this includes chemicals used in crop protection tools, livestock production, and irrigation systems. These sectors are the economic backbone of my home state of Nebraska.”
“Over 500 chemicals go into making a single chip,” continued Ricketts. “Even though these chemistries are known to be safe, the TSCA review process has created more bottlenecks than actual progress to compete across the world.”
“Streamlining the approval process for chemistries that have already been verified represents meaningful process improvement reflected in the discussion draft,” concluded Ricketts. “By creating a more efficient pathway for previous really reviewed substances, the EPA can prioritize resources toward evaluating truly new chemistries.”
Watch the video HERE.
Ricketts’ comments were made in the hearing Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: “A Legislative Hearing to Examine a Discussion Draft, S.__ the Toxic Substances Control Act Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2026.” The witnesses were: Dr. Richard Engler, Director of Chemistry, Bergeson & Campbell; David Isaacs, Vice President of Government Affairs, Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA); Dr. Michal Freedhoff, Senior Policy Advisor, Holland & Knight.