The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) held a hearing on a discussion draft of S.__, the Toxic Substances Control Act Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2026 (Discussion Draft) on March 4, 2026. The Committee’s one-pager on the Discussion Draft notes that since the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was enacted 50 years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “approval process for new chemicals has not been substantively improved. The current process is both uncertain and costly, hindering America’s economic competitiveness by discouraging the development and commercialization of new, innovative chemicals.” The bill would make targeted reforms to EPA’s new chemical approval process to establish clear rules to make EPA’s chemical review process safe and efficient; prioritize resources where the science is hardest; make the chemical review process more predictable; and enable key sectors to compete in the global marketplace

Hearing Transcript

Memorandum