The U.S. Senate has voted unanimously to pass Sen. Patty Murray’s bill to ban the import and use of asbestos in the United States. Before the ban becomes law, it must be passed by the House of Representatives and not vetoed by President Bush. More than 40 countries around the world have already banned asbestos. In the United States, however, asbestos is still used in more than 3,000 products, and mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs or abdomen, kills approximately 3,000 Americans each year. Sen. Murray has worked tirelessly for six years to see an asbestos ban passed and has fought powerful and determined corporate interest. But Sen. Murray was determined, too, and she is confident the bill will soon become law. Asbestos must be eliminated from products within two years of the date the bill becomes law. The bill also creates a $50 million fund to support research on treatment strategies, detection and asbestos disease prevention. In addition, the EPA will develop a community education campaign on the dangers of asbestos and sources of asbestos exposure.
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