The Cell Phone Right to Know Act H.R. 6358
2012 US National Legislation on Cell Phones and Wireless Devices
H.R. 6358 was introduced by Ohio Democrat Dennis Kucinich. This legislation was introduced in August 2012 and called for:
- Labels on mobile devices at point of sale
- A comprehensive national research program to study whether exposure to wireless devices causes adverse biological effects. directed by NIEHS and the EPA.
- Exposure level regulations set by the EPA to protect the public from health harm.
It received strong support from many organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics. This Bill did not make it out of committee and did not become law in the Unites States. It serves an excellent of example of legislation on radiofrequency radiation and wireless devices.
Click here to see Congressional record on H.R. 6358
Click here to read the text of the Bill
The American Academy of Pediatrics Strongly Supported HR 6358
On December 12, 2012, American Academy of Pediatrics President Thomas K. McInerny sent a letter to Representative Dennis Kucinich
“The AAP strongly supports H.R. 6358’s emphasis on examining the effects of radiofrequency (RF) energy on vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant women. In addition, we are pleased that the bill would require the consideration of those effects when developing maximum exposure standards. Children are disproportionately affected by environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation. The differences in bone density and the amount of fluid in a child’s brain compared to an adult’s brain could allow children to absorb greater quantities of RF energy deeper into their brains than adults,”
2012 AAP Letter in Support of Cell Phone Right To Know
Time magazine published an article entitled, “Pediatricians Say Cell Phone Radiation Standards Need Another Look” on the issue. Click here to read the article.
Big Week for Cell Phone Radiation Legislation Dr. Moskowitz 8/6/2012 Press Release
Library of Congress Summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service
See it online at https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr6358/summary
Cell Phone Right to Know Act – Requires the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to:
(1) conduct or support a comprehensive research program to determine whether exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile communication devices causes adverse biological effects in humans, including vulnerable subpopulations such as children, pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems and hypersensitivity reactions, men and women of reproductive age, and the elderly;
(2) disseminate research results to the general public; and
(3) report findings and conclusions to Congress.
Directives:
- Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promulgate regulations to allow a subscriber to access personally or to give consent to allow researchers with institutional review board approval to access specific usage data required to investigate the link between electromagnetic radiation exposure and potential adverse biological effects in humans.
- Directs the EPA to promulgate regulations establishing maximum exposure level goals and maximum exposure levels for exposure to electromagnetic fields generated by mobile communication devices.
- Directs the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to promulgate regulations to provide for labeling (including exposure ratings and the maximum allowable exposure levels and goals) on mobile communication devices, packaging, instruction manuals, and at points of sale in stores and on websites.
- Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase: (1) the number and size of grants to institutions for training scientists in the field of examining the relationship between electromagnetic fields and human health; and (2) the number of career development awards for such training for health professionals pursuing careers in pediatric basic and clinical research, including pediatric pharmacological research.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a graduate educational loan repayment program and authorize national awards for researchers in such fields.
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 with respect to the prohibition on state or local government zoning regulation of personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects of radiofrequency emissions. Excludes from such prohibition state or local regulation based on the adverse human health effects of emissions of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.
See it online at https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr6358/summary
2012 AAP Letter in Support of Cell Phone Right To Know
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Read more about US Public Policy in regards to cell phone and wireless radiation.
