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# Urgent action needed re: asbestos
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/urgent_action_needed_re_asbestos_0513151046/
- Published: 2015-05-13T11:44:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:22:05.000Z
- Description: EWG Action Fund asks readers to contact Congress against Rep. Blake Farenthold's Furthering Asbestos Claims Transparency Act, which it says would delay and reduce compensation for asbestos victims and force them to disclose detailed personal information.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Environment, Health News, #vivvo-import

[](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=lwL7v97Ip5rY9OQro5z3IqWiA7EW2qta&ref=foodconsumer.org)

[](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=DTczyymqCgWjYmncP3W35yvAp4YdHojG&ref=foodconsumer.org)

Asbestos-related disease kills up to*15,000* people in the U.S. each year.

And if you’re thinking that this lethal substance has been banned in the U.S., you’re wrong. It is still legal and continues to pose serious risks to millions of American families every day.

That’s why we at EWG Action Fund launched Asbestos Nation, a national campaign to increase public awareness about the pervasiveness of asbestos and to fight on Capitol Hill for justice for its victims.

Right now, we’re up against a terrible bill in Congress that has the backing of special interest groups, big chemical companies and Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas).

**Rep. Farenthold’s industry-backed “Furthering Asbestos Claims Transparency Act” – also known as the "Asbestos Death Database Act" – would delay and decrease compensation for victims of asbestos-related disease and their families.**

**The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Rep. Farenthold's bill THIS WEEK, and we need your help immediately to shut it down.**

[**Your representative must hear from you today: Click here to contact your member of Congress and tell him or her to oppose Rep. Farenthold’s industry-backed bill.**](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=oL1MVGdcpmOva7vTWOOhBSvAp4YdHojG&ref=foodconsumer.org)

In addition to lung cancer and other illnesses, exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, an extremely painful and fatal form of cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs, stomach and other organs.

Mesothelioma requires expensive medical treatment and often kills victims within months of diagnosis. Victims of these horrible illnesses deserve justice – and Rep. Farenthold’s bill would provide them anything but.

This atrocious bill would not only significantly delay and deny payments to victims and their families, it would also require that individuals seeking compensation publicly disclose detailed, personal information including medical information.

**Absurdly, the asbestos companies claim the legislation would protect victims. If that’s so, why do asbestos victims’ groups uniformly oppose it?**

[**Click here to help us fight for justice for the victims of asbestos: Tell your representative to oppose Rep. Farenthold’s bill today.**](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=60o3ZotMzHd9PWQieFNz2SvAp4YdHojG&ref=foodconsumer.org)

Thank you for taking action.

\- EWG Action Fund

# [Contribute](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=sKoMpzot5fR9TZx5kqwsWCvAp4YdHojG&ref=foodconsumer.org)