Donald McEachin Intros Bill to Keep Kids Safe from Lead

Congressmen Donald McEachin (D-VA)and John Faso (R-NY) introduced bipartisan legislation on Wednesday aimed to protect children from lead exposure. Lead is a powerful toxin that attacks the central nervous system and is particularly damaging to the developing nervous systems of young children. Though lead poisoning in children has diminished, the lawmakers say regulations, as they stand, do not adequately prevent contact with lead and its serious detrimental health impacts. Children with lead poisoning often require long-term medical treatment and special education services, as some effects can be irreversible. Lead paint is still present in millions of homes, sometimes under layers of newer paint. The Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act provides three protections for children in federally assisted housing. It prohibits the use of visual assessments in housing built before 1978, and instead requires risk assessments -- which they say is a more comprehensive tool to determine the presence of lead hazards. It also necessitates a process for families to relocate if a lead problem is found and the landlord does not mitigate the problem within 30 days of notification. The bill also requires landlords to disclose if lead is known to be in the home. “No child should be exposed to hazards simply by living in his or her home. Lead poisoning is an avoidable tragedy and we must do what we can to prevent it,” said McEachin. “Moreover, preventing lead poisoning is cheaper and less arduous and less painful than trying to mitigate the damage to a child who has been stricken.” More here.