WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce voted 27-10 May 26 to favorably report HR 4805, the “Formaldehyde Standards in Composite Wood Products Act” to the full House for action.

The Composite Panel Association reported that the committee “markup” session, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), resulted in the passage of amendments to the bill that were negotiated over the past two months and supported by the CPA and almost all of the other groups tracking this bill.

Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), a co-sponsor of the bill along with Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-MI), spoke of its importance to consumer protection and domestic jobs, and to ensuring a level playing field for international trade. She commended CPA and other supporters, and asked that letters provided by industry advocates be included in the record. 

Six industry groups endorsed a HR 4805 Industry Support Letter, inlcuding  CPA, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA), APA-The Engineered Wood Association (APA), Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association (BIFMA), and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA).

“The work of our industry coalition in support of this important bill was critical to its success and I am grateful to my colleagues for their determination to see through some highly challenging negotiations in recent weeks,” said Tom Julia, CPA President. “I also want to thank representatives of the Sierra Club and National Center for Healthy Housing for playing a most constructive role in our discussions with Committee staff. This entire process has been a model of how consensus-based public policymaking should work,” he added.

CPA said the House bill passed May 26 is expected to be the version soon considered for final action by the US Senate, substituting the version of S 1660 that was reported from a Senate Committee late last year. HR 4805 itself is now poised to go to the House floor for final action, and proponents are hopeful that the House and Senate will ultimately pass the identical version of the bill so a bill can be on President Obama’s desk for signature this summer.