The following content is sponsored by the American Chemistry Council and is written by its president and CEO, Chris Jahn.
The 50-year-old regulatory backbone that governs chemical safety is failing to function.
President Trump has been a tireless champion for American manufacturing and American workers. And his America First economic agenda has helped catalyze trillions of dollars in new investment across domestic manufacturing, technology, and infrastructure. But, when it comes to America’s vital chemical manufacturing sector, the U.S. is in an economic global race with one arm tied behind its back.
The regulatory backbone that governs chemical safety, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), is failing to function as Congress intended when it passed the law nearly 50 years ago, creating delays and uncertainty that impede U.S. innovation. Semiconductors, lifesaving medical devices, automobiles, and modern agriculture all depend on the advancements of the chemical sector but are being negatively impacted by a flawed law. Chemistry touches almost every manufactured good in America and supports the backbone of our economy. This sector’s ability to invent, manufacture, and deploy the next generation of materials will make American lives more affordable, healthier and stronger.
America’s chemical companies are facing TSCA backlogs at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that slow approvals for products ranging from industrial inputs to everyday disinfectants.
This isn’t just a regulatory challenge — it’s an economic one that affects every American.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and his team have worked hard to stabilize and improve the TSCA program. But the Administrator cannot do this alone. Durable, long-term reform requires congressional action. Only legislation can provide the clarity and structural improvements necessary to get TSCA working efficiently and predictably again.
The House and Senate’s newly released TSCA legislation offers a historic opportunity to fix what’s broken, untie our arms, and win the global race.
It is a moment that demands leadership from both sides of the aisle. This is not a partisan issue. It is a chance to strengthen America’s economy, enhance public health protections, and ensure the affordability and reliability of products that Americans rely on every day.
The heart of the problem is predictable: years of inconsistent regulatory processes have created a system beset by delays. The current review backlog has forced manufacturers of critical technologies to consider moving production overseas simply because the United States cannot finalize chemical evaluations within the statutory deadlines Congress established. When innovation leaves our shores, jobs and supply chains leave with it.
The proposed legislation aims squarely at restoring TSCA to what a bipartisan Congress envisioned: a modern, science-driven program that protects public health while enabling innovation.
That means clearer, more predictable review processes; scientifically rigorous, transparent evaluations; and timely decisions that give companies the certainty they need to invest and create jobs here at home.
This approach is not about weakening safety standards. On the contrary, a predictable, scientifically grounded regulatory system is the best way to ensure that safety decisions are meaningful, enforceable, and responsive to the latest data. When science drives outcomes, health and environmental protections become stronger, not weaker.
A properly functioning TSCA program also means a more affordable America. Chemical innovation plays a foundational role in lowering costs, whether through more efficient materials, safer alternatives, or better-performing products. Clearer regulatory decisions mean faster access to new technologies, more resilient supply chains, and greater certainty for manufacturers and consumers alike.
Importantly, the American public agrees. Nearly 70 percent of Americans support updating TSCA to make U.S. manufacturing more competitive and strengthen domestic investment. This is a rare moment when industry, bipartisan policy goals, and public opinion align clearly and decisively. Congress should take advantage of that alignment, not squander it.
Some voices will argue that Congress should avoid reopening TSCA altogether. But refusing to fix what is clearly broken does not protect Americans, it harms them.
A regulatory system mired in uncertainty delays safer materials, slows job creation, and cedes technological leadership to foreign competitors who are eager to capitalize on our regulatory gridlock.
This is why bipartisan cooperation is essential. The 2016 TSCA amendments passed with overwhelming support from both parties. Today’s Congress has an opportunity to follow suit by modernizing a system that affects every state, every district, and nearly every sector of the U.S. economy.
America’s future depends on American chemistry, and American chemistry depends on a TSCA program that works. This is a moment for unity and resolve. A stronger, healthier, more affordable America is within reach. Now Congress must act—together—to achieve it.
