Blog: Congressman Ted Deutch launches attack on Chinese drywall
Mar 12, 2012
The following article was published in the South Florida Sentinel on March 12, 2012:
Ted Deutsch launches attack on Chinese drywall
By William Gibson
South Florida Congressman Ted Deutch plans to unveil legislation at an event in Parkland on Tuesday that would ban Chinese drywall as a hazardous product.
The bill would prevent the importation of this smelly and corrosive building material and block redistribution of supplies that came here during a building boom from 2001 to 2008.
The bill also would direct U.S. officials to pressure Chinese companies to settle claims from owners who felt compelled to leave their homes and spend thousands of dollars to replace the drywall.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommended replacement of the drywall after extensive testing found that it corroded wiring. The investigation came after consumers complained of breathing problems and other health disorders.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year found no link between tainted Chinese drywall and the deaths of 11 people who were exposed to it in Louisiana, Florida and Virginia.
The drywall was used in tens of thousands of homes, mostly in Florida and the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of hurricane damage. Hundreds of homes in Parkland, Lauderhill and Boca Raton were affected.
Some Chinese companies have agreed to pay for repairs while others have resisted.
Deutch, a Democrat from Boca Raton, will introduce the bill in the U.S. House along with Rep. Scott Rigell, a Republican from Virginia.
Find this article here: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2012/03/ted_deutch_launches_attack_on_1.html