ARLINGTON, VA – The National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) President and CEO Eric R. Byer issued the following statement on the passage of H.R. 6160 in the U.S. House of Representatives that would extend for 18 months the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program ahead of its expiration on April 18, 2020.

“CFATS is vital to ensuring the chemical industry and regulators work together to keep our nation’s chemical facilities secured against potential acts of terrorism, and its continuation is a critical component of the broader U.S. national security strategy. NACD welcomes the passage of H.R. 6160 in the House that would extend the CFATS program for an additional 18 months before it expires in April.

“Congress overwhelmingly approved the program’s extension and funding in January 2019 for an additional 15 months to provide lawmakers further time to work on a long-term reauthorization. Unfortunately, lawmakers were not able to use the additional time to put forward a bipartisan bill providing certainty to industry, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the nation. We therefore support the passage of H.R. 6160 to give elected officials an additional 18 months to formulate a longer-term reauthorization approach. 

 “NACD thanks Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Mike Rogers (R-AL), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Greg Walden (R-OR), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and John Shimkus (R-IL) for advancing this bipartisan legislation in the House. We now urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to bring H.R. 6160 to the Senate floor for swift passage and send it to President Trump for his signature to make sure that our nation’s chemical industry infrastructure remains secure.”