WASHINGTON, March 30 (UPI) -- The American Chemistry Council said Thursday it would support a presidential veto of a U.S. security bill.
The ACC said the legislation approved by the U.S. Senate Thursday would be vetoed by President George W. Bush because the Senate had added "chemical security language into the Senate Emergency Supplemental Appropriations."
"While members of the American Chemistry Council continue to enhance security by investing more than $3.5 billion since 9/11, misguided attempts to change legislation passed last year only threatens to delay long-overdue chemical security regulations," the ACC said.
"We cannot allow politics in Congress to take precedence over security by threatening to delay long-overdue chemical security regulations," said American Chemistry Council President and CEO Jack N. Gerard.
"After five years of debate in Congress, the Department of Homeland Security is within days of issuing landmark security regulations that will protect chemical facilities across the entire country and allow states to maintain existing programs," he said.
"The Senate legislation that will be vetoed would have created a cloud of uncertainty over the regulations and would effectively send the Department of Homeland Security back to the drawing board," Gerard said. "The imminent DHS regulations will ensure action occurs now. If allowed, these misguided efforts in Congress will only delay the goal of securing these critical facilities across the nation."
The American Chemistry Council represents major chemical companies.
