-7 Typical of the comments submitted to the FDA are those from the Environmental Protection Agency, which in its memorandum to the FDA of January 28, 1972, pointed out that: (EPA) studies...indicate that lead paint, in excess of 0.05% could constitute a danger to the health of children with pica. Our conclusion is similar to that of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which strongly recommended that lead paint in excess of 0.06 % should not be permitted. On August 2, 1971, I requested the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to undertake a full investigation as to the lead content of all paint manufactured in or imported into the United States. That study, being conducted through the National Bureau of Standards is now underway. On February 16, 1972, Assistant Secretary for Research and that there are some paints on the shelves which are in violation If we are to eliminate lead-based paint poisoning, we must eliminate lead from paint. It is my firm belief that the health of our Nation's children is of far more import than the slight inconvenience to paint manufacturers who will be obliged to insure quality control in the manufacture of their product. -8 GRANTS TO STATE AGENCIES IN CERTAIN CASES The Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act specifies that only "units of general local government in any State" are eligible for grants Unfortunately, because of the administrative under Titles I and II. set-up in two states Rhode Island and Delaware, this precludes them from receiving Federal assistance under the Act. In an effort to coordinate health services, the State of Rhode Island abolished all local health departments and offices and placed all health matters under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Health in 1966. Likewise, health programs in the State of Dela · ware are operated on a statewide basis. In order to permit these States to obtain much-needed Federal funding to combat the hazards of childhood lead poisoning, my legislation includes a provision absent in S. 3080 it authorizes grants to be made to State agencies in any case where units of general local government within a State are prevented by State law from receiving such grants or from expending such grants in accordance with their intended purpose. COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES I believe that it is essential that Federal funds to combat lead-based paint poisoning be easily channeled to the community level where they are most needed. Therefore my legislation broadens the definition of those eligible to receive grants to include comprehensive health services programs within the meaning of section 222(a)(4) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. And I urge the Subcommittee to consider this and other methods to facilitate the flow of funds to the community level. -9 CENTRALIZED LABORATORY FACILITIES Finally, this legislation broadens the provisions relating to grants for detection and treatment of childhood lead poisoning to allow the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare to make grants to State agencies for the purpose of establishing centralized laboratory facilities for analyzing environmental and biological lead specimens obtained from local lead-based paint poisoning pre-vention programs. The amount of any such grant cannot exceed 75 percent of the cost of such a facility - a matching require ment identical to that under the other sections of title I of the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act. HOUSING AND LEAD POISONING Lead Poisoning is a health problem. It is a human problem. But it also is a housing problem. The main cause of this terrible crippler and killer of young children is lead-tainted paint fallen from the dilapidated walls and ceilings of tenement housing. If we are to eradicate this disease, we must eliminate its cause, for it does little good to screen and treat young children for lead poisoning and then send them back to the same conditions which caused the disease to begin with. Unfortunately, the elimination of lead-based paint has not been a task which has been thoroughly undertaken by States and local governments. I believe that the Federal government can play a two-fold role in changing this situation. First, it is essential that the Congress provide adequate funding for grants under Title II for the eradication of the lead-based paint in these dwellings. But second, it now appears necessary that the Federal government use whatever means necessary to force the improvement of this housing. There fore, I have introduced H.R. 12943 which provides that Federal assistance to a State or local government or agency for rehabilitation or renovation of housing and for enforcement of local or State housing codes under the urban renewal program, the public housing program, the model cities program, or under any other program involving the provision by State or local governments of -10 housing or related facilities, shall be made available only on condition that the recipient submit and carry out an effective plan for the elimination of lead-based paint poisoning. Childhood lead poisoning is a national peril, bringing death and affliction to thousands of young children each year. Its con-tinuance is a stain on our national conscience, for there is absolutely no reason for this horrid disease to be allowed to con.. tinue. We have the ability to eradicate the menace of lead-based paint poisoning from the face of America. There is no question about that. What must be questioned, however, is our will to do so. For this government has a history of sitting on its hands when it comes to safeguarding the health of our poor citizens. We have an obligation to assure that all children in this have the opportunity to grow up in Nation all children health and decent living conditions. Either we meet that ob ligation or we fail. It will not fade away by our ignoring it. Senator KENNEDY. Our next witnesses are a panel from the paint industry. Mr. Robert A. Roland, executive vice president of National Paint and Coatings Association, a trade association which represents 1,100 members of the paint and coatings industry, will serve as the leader of the panel. Mr. Roland has been in his position since 1961, having been elected for a series of 3-year terms. With him, representing individual companies, are Mr. William E. Hood, chairman of the Board of Indurall Coatings, Inc.; Mr. Daniel J. Haley, Jr., president of Finnaren and Haley, Inc.; Mr. Ralph Levine of Dutch Boy Paints; Mr. John DiGregory, president of Standard Brands; and Dr. E. C. Larsen, vice president and General Manager of PPG Industries, Inc. If we could, I made some comments, and we are going to have Senator Pell chair this, but if we could talk about a couple of those matters I mentioned earlier, then we will put that in your statement in the appropriate place. It is out of order, but I am not going to be able to remain. As I understand, there are some paint companies that have been able to develop a technique to go lead free, am I right in that STATEMENT OF ROBERT A. ROLAND, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL PAINT AND COATINGS ASSOCIATION; ACCOMPANIED BY JOHN M. MONTGOMERY, GENERAL COUNSEL; ROYAL A. BROWN, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PAINT AND COATINGS ASSOCIATION; WILLIAM E. HOOD, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, INDURALL COATINGS, INC.; RALPH LEVINE, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, PAINT DIVISION, N L INDUSTRIES, INC. (DUTCH BOY PAINTS); JOHN DEGREGORY, PRESIDENT, STANDARD BRANDS PAINTS CO.; DANIEL J. HALEY, PRESIDENT, FINNAREN & HALEY, INC.; AND E. C. LARSEN, VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, PPG INDUSTRIES, INC., A PANEL FROM THE PAINT INDUSTRY Mr. ROLAND. Mr. Chairman, that is not correct in the sense of lead free. The term "lead free" would indicate no lead at all, and there are very few products which have no lead at all. In other words, "lead free." There are contaminants and other ingredients which are in them. Some water based products have no oleoresinous ingredients at all in them. Senator KENNEDY. Just in terms of the .06 percent, how difficult in terms of technique and how much in terms of additional cost does it take to have the paints that are used in the interior or exterior of houses, how difficult is that to achieve from a technical point of view? Mr. ROLAND. The first point is, you must make a big distinction between interior and exterior. So let's forget exterior. Here there's a much higher degree of oil based paint, and this requires lead dryer and lead pigment in many cases. When we considered a 1 percent rule, you had some lead bearing pigments in the coatings. When you go to .05, you remove all of the pigments that are of a lead nature. When you go to .06, you remove |