article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Children's Environmental Health Protection Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds that-- (1) a growing body of scientific knowledge demonstrates that children may suffer disproportionately from environmental health risks and safety risks; (2) those risks arise because-- (A) the neurological, immunological, digestive, and other bodily systems of children are still developing; (B) children eat more food, drink more fluids, and breathe more air in proportion to their body weight than adults; (C) the size and weight of children may diminish their protection from standard safety features; and (D) the behavior patterns of children may make children more susceptible to accidents because children are less able to protect themselves; and (3) each Federal agency, to the extent permitted by law and appropriate, and consistent with the mission of each Federal agency, should-- (A) place a high priority on the identification and assessment of environmental health and safety risks that may disproportionately affect children, including where children live, learn, and play; (B) ensure that the policies, programs, activities, and standards of the Federal agency address disproportionate risks to children that result from environmental health or safety risks; and (C) participate in the implementation of, and comply with, this Act. SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. (3) Environmental health and safety risk.-- (A) In general.--The term ``environmental health and safety risk'' means an environmental risk to the health or safety of a child that is posed by or otherwise attributable to a substance-- (i) that the child is likely to ingest; or (ii) to which the child may otherwise be exposed. (B) Inclusions.--The term ``environmental health and safety risk'' includes an environmental risk that is posed by or otherwise attributable to-- (i) air that is inhaled by, or that otherwise comes into contact with, a child; (ii) water used by a child for drinking or recreation; (iii) soil; and (iv) chemicals and other substances with which a child may come into contact. (4) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' means-- (A) any department, agency, or other instrumentality of the Federal Government; (B) any independent agency or establishment of the Federal Government (including any Government corporation); and (C) the Government Printing Office. (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (6) Task force.--The term ``Task Force'' means the Task Force to Address Environmental Health and Safety Risks to Children established by section 4(a). SEC. 4. TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS TO CHILDREN. (a) Establishment.--The Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary, shall establish a task force to be known as the ``Task Force to Address Environmental Health and Safety Risks to Children''. (b) Authority.--The Task Force shall report to the President, in consultation with-- (1) the Domestic Policy Council; (2) the National Science and Technology Council; (3) the Council on Environmental Quality; and (4) the Office of Management and Budget. (c) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of-- (1) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, who shall serve as a Co-Chairperson of the Task Force; (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who shall serve as Co-Chairperson of the Task Force; (3) the Secretary of Education; (4) the Secretary of Labor; (5) the Attorney General; (6) the Secretary of Energy; (7) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; (8) the Secretary of Agriculture; (9) the Secretary of Transportation; (10) the Secretary of Homeland Security; (11) the Director; (12) the Chairperson of the Council on Environmental Quality; (13) the Chairperson of the Consumer Product Safety Commission; (14) the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; (15) the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy; (16) the Assistant to the President for, and Director of the Office of, Science and Technology Policy; (17) the Chairperson of the Council of Economic Advisers; and (18) such other officials of Federal agencies as the Administrator and the Secretary may, from time to time, designate. (d) Delegation.--A member of the Task Force may delegate the responsibilities of the member under this Act to 1 or more subordinates. (e) Duties.--The Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary as a co-chair of the Task Force, shall, after providing notice and an opportunity for public participation and comment and, if determined to be appropriate by the Administrator and the Secretary, using a consensus-based approach-- (1) recommend to the President Federal strategies to improve children's environmental health and safety, including-- (A) statements of principles, general policy, and targeted annual priorities to guide the Federal approach to complying with this Act; (B) a coordinated research agenda for the Federal Government, including steps to implement the review of research databases described in paragraph (2)(A); (C) recommendations for appropriate partnerships among the Federal Government, State, local, and tribal governments, and the private, academic, and nonprofit sectors; (D) proposals to enhance public outreach and communication to assist families in evaluating risks to children (including where children live, learn, and play) and in making informed consumer choices; (E) an identification of high-priority initiatives that the Federal Government has undertaken or will undertake in advancing the protection of children's environmental health and safety; (F) a statement regarding the desirability of new legislation to advance the protection of children's environmental health and safety; and (G) other proposals to enhance the health and safety protection of children by Federal and State governments and by communities and families; (2) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, develop or direct to be developed-- (A) a review of existing and planned data resources; and (B) a proposed plan, which shall be reviewed by the Administrator and the Secretary, and other Federal agencies as the Administrator and the Secretary consider appropriate, and which shall be made available for public comment for a period of not less than 30 days-- (i) for use in ensuring that researchers and Federal research agencies have access to information on all research conducted or funded by the Federal Government that relates to adverse health risks in children resulting from exposure to environmental health and safety risks; and (ii) that-- (I) promotes the sharing of information on academic and private research; and (II) includes recommendations to encourage that such data, to the extent permitted by law, is available to the public, the scientific and academic communities, and all Federal agencies; and (3) submit to Congress (including the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives) and the President, make available to the public, and provide to the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science and Technology Council for use in establishing research priorities, a biennial report on research, data, or other information that would enhance understanding and analysis of, and response to, environmental health and safety risks, including-- (A) a description provided by Federal agencies and other agencies identified by the Task Force of key data needs relating to environmental health and safety risks that have arisen in the course of carrying out projects and activities of the Federal agencies; and (B) a description of the accomplishments of the Task Force. SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION. (a) In General.--This Act applies only to the Executive branch. (b) Effect of Act.--This Act does not create or establish any substantive or procedural right, benefit, or trust responsibility, enforceable at law or equity, by a party against the United States (including any agency, officer, or employee of the United States). (c) Judicial Review.--This Act does not create or establish any right to judicial review involving the compliance or noncompliance with this Act by-- (1) the United States (including any agency, officer, or employee of the United States); or (2) any other person.
summary: Children's Environmental Health Protection Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Task Force to Address Environmental Health and Safety Risks to Children to: (1) recommend to the President federal strategies to improve children's environmental health and safety; (2) develop a review of existing and planned data resources and a proposed plan for use in ensuring that researchers and federal research agencies have access to information on federal research that relates to adverse health risk in children resulting from exposure to environmental health and safety risks; and (3) submit a biennial report on research, data, or other information that would enhance understanding and analysis of, and response to, environmental health and safety risks.