{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/krishnamoorthi-bynum-and-watson-coleman-lead-21-colleagues-demanding-answers", "Krishnamoorthi, Bynum, and Watson Coleman Lead 21 Colleagues in Demanding Answers After EPA Leaves Microplastics Out of Nationwide Drinking Water Monitoring", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", "krishnamoorthi", "https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 On Monday, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-OR), and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) led 21 of their colleagues in demanding answers about the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s work on microplastics after the agency left them out of its proposed nationwide drinking-water monitoring rule. In a letter sent on Monday to Acting Comptroller General Orice W. Brown, the lawmakers requested a comprehensive Government Accountability Office review of what EPA has accomplished on micro- and nanoplastics, what work remains, and what constraints are affecting further progress.\n\nEPA\u2019s proposed Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule would require monitoring for 30 contaminants, but not microplastics. The letter notes that EPA said in 2024 it was \u201cin the early stages of developing a microplastics method,\u201d but later cited the absence of a validated analytical method in explaining why microplastics were not included.\n\nIn the letter, the lawmakers write:\n\n\u201cNotably, the EPA has not scientifically justified, or even stated, that microplastics are less of a public health threat than any of the 30 other contaminants they included on the draft UCMR.\u201d\n\nLater in the letter, they write:\n\n\u201cAddressing microplastic pollution is critical for protecting the health of Americans and safeguarding our waterways and ecosystems. Our constituents deserve to know what microplastic exposure means for their families\u2019 health, and the requested information above will be critical in informing Congress\u2019s work in tackling this challenge.\u201d\n\nMicroplastics have been detected in drinking water, food, air, and human tissues, including the lungs, brain, placenta, and reproductive organs. Emerging research has raised concerns about possible cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, developmental, and other health effects, while significant questions about the risks associated with microplastics remain.\n\nThe letter follows a previous effort led by Congressman Krishnamoorthi, Congresswoman Bynum, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), joined by 53 of their colleagues, urging EPA to add microplastics to UCMR 6 and establish nationwide monitoring of microplastics in drinking water.\n\nThe letter was also signed by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Jes\u00fas G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (IL-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Dave Min (CA-47), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Judy Chu (CA-28), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Mike Levin (CA-49), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Nanette Diaz Barrag\u00e1n (CA-44), and Zoe Lofgren (CA-18).", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/krishnamoorthi-bynum-and-watson-coleman-lead-21-colleagues-demanding-answers"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.696207094937563, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}