BREAKING NEWS: The Cell Phone Right to Know Act

Federal Bill HR6538
"The Cell Phone Right to Know" Bill

  Is Safer Wireless on the Way?

Federal Bill Introduced

to Mandate Radiation Warning Labels

on ALL Cell Phones in the U.S.

(click headline to read full story)

 

We are very excited to inform you that U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) introduced new, groundbreaking legislation Aug. 6 to address concerns about the public's health from cell phone radiation.

This announcement comes just days after 62% of DeKalb County, Georgia, residents voted "NO" on a phone tower referendum that asked whether the school board should place or operate telecommunications towers on any independent, public or charter school. 

The federal bill is something that our group (Get the Cell Out - Atlanta) and others, including The Center for Safer Wireless, The Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, the Mount Shasta Research Center, Get the Cell Out of Here, Moms of Merrick, and Get the Cell Out (California) have been anticipating.   

DeKalb County Schools are still awaiting the final decision by the county's CEO regarding whether or not to place cell towers near them.  They are holding out hope that this major announcement, together with the results of the referendum will be enough to convince him that any attempts by T-mobile to file for administrative permits should be denied.  To add your voice to those who have already expressed concern, please email:  burrell@burrell.ellis.com

According to a press release from Congressman Kucinich's office, the bill calls for:

1. Placing warning labels on cell phones,
2. A national research program, and
3. A scientific investigation into the adverse health effects reported by cell phone users. 

Read HR 6358, introduced and referred last week to the US House Energy and Commerce Committee.

  

What's in the Bill? 

HR 6358 directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to work together to develop a research and public information program to determine whether there are biological and health effects from wireless digital products. 

The bill language seeks to protect against conflicts of interest by participating federal agencies and within the scientific community. Importantly, wireless device usage data would, for the first time in the U.S., be used in performing scientific studies and would result in more accurate and reliable findings.

The bill would also charge the EPA with setting the maximum permissible safety limits, governing exposure to radio frequency radiation. When reviewing research, the EPA would be required to take into account whether the study was funded by an organization that could stand to profit from the research outcome, so it allows for independent research.  EPA would also be required to consider health-specific health outcomes such as insomnia, anxiety, headaches, tinnitus, fatigue, tremors, dizziness, visual disturbances; longstanding concerns raised by the Federal Interagency Work Group; vulnerable sub-populations, including children, developing fetuses and persons who are functionally impaired due to electromagnetic hypersensitivity; non-thermal mechanisms and effects; effects of modulation and pulsing, etc.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be responsible for implementing and enforcing human exposure standards.  The FDA would issue regulations requiring local retail and internet based sales operations to provide labels on mobile communication devices. Labeling information would compare each device's exposure rating to the maximum permissible safety limit. These changes would help consumers made informed choices when purchasing wireless devices.

With the EPA acting as the lead federal agency, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would increase the number and size of grants for scientists interested in exploring how electromagnetic fields affect human health, including $15 million dollars to be available in research funds during fiscal year 2013 and each subsequent year.

Finally, the bill would remove the federal preemption provision enacted with the Federal Telecommunication Act of 1996 and restore state and local government's traditionally held authority to consider the health and welfare of the people in the siting and management of wireless antennas and towers.

Follow Up to Core Message from

The 2011 Wireless Safety Summit

 Rep. Kucinich's bill incorporates many of the actions we recommended in 2012, as outlined in the Core Message to Congress we generated (as part of the national group known as The Center for Safer Wireless) during the Wireless Safety Summit in October 2011, such as: 

• Initiate a federally sponsored, sustained and independent EMF research program
• Direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to adopt lower, interim Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) standards
• Direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop lower, interim electromagnetic radiofrequency human exposure guidelines for radiofrequency transmission antennas
• Direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate the radiological properties of consumer products that emit microwave-level radiofrequency radiation

Another key request in the Summit's core message was to ask the U.S. Surgeon General to review research and issue a report on cell phones and wireless radiation devices. Through our efforts, Senator McCain's office sent a letter to the U.S. Surgeon General asking for the review and report. However, Dr. Benjamin declined to initiate the review. Perhaps the introduction of this legislation will bring her to re-evaluate her decision. 

 What You Can Do

Communicate your support of the Cellphone Right to Know Act by contacting your Congressional leaders.  Here's how:

  

• Send this suggested letter to all members of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee.

• Use this suggested letter regarding HR 6358 to send to your Congressional Representative.

• Show your support for the bill at http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h6358/show 

Reading Rack

Representative Dennis Kucinich's press release about the Cellphone Right to Know Act - August 6, 2012

US General Accountability Office Report issued August 6, 2012 that recommends that the US Federal Communications Commission review wireless safety standards established 15 years ago
   
Cellphone Exposure Limits Should be Reassessed, GAO Recommends- Washington Post blog, August 7, 2012 

 Health Risks from Cell Phones Needs Review, US GAO Says - Bloomberg News, August 7, 2012   

Cell Phone Safety Advocate Hopes Congress Forces the FCC to Update Its Regulations- Washington Post - August 4, 2012
 
Will the GAO Report for the FCC Follow the Fate of NAS Report for the FDA? blog  by Dariusz Leszczynski, Washington Times Communities, August 8, 2012