S. 717: Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-03-07 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-03-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019

Plain summary

Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the manufacturing, processing, and distribution of asbestos or any mixture or article containing asbestos. The bill authorizes the President to grant exemptions from this prohibition if it is necessary to protect national security interests and no feasible alternative exists for the intended use of the asbestos-containing product. Any person who has manufactured, processed, or distributed asbestos or any mixture or article containing asbestos in the three-year period preceding the enactment of this bill (as well as those acting within the year after enactment but before the prohibition takes effect) must submit a report to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) including information such as the location of the facility where the manufacturing occurred. Additionally, the EPA must submit a report assessing the presence of asbestos in any residential, commercial, industrial, public, and school buildings as well as the extent of exposure and risk to human health. The report must include recommendations for modifications or additions to statutes, regulations, policies, and programs aimed at protecting against exposures to legacy asbestos.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 14 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (5)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s717.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s717 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116