In a major win for the specialty and fine chemical industry, the Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) hails the bipartisan passage of legislation in both the House and Senate to reauthorize the Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.

Established in 2007, CFATS is designed to ensure security at high-risk chemical facilities. The current program, which was set to expire on January 19, 2019, requires companies that house specific hazardous chemicals to implement security measures to reduce risks and “prevent them from being exploited in a terrorist attack.”

The Senate bill, which provides short-term reauthorization of the program, was passed by unanimous consent on January 16, and the House voted on the same legislation today. Since both houses of Congress voted in favor of identical legislation, it will go directly to the President’s desk for signature.

“Reauthorization of CFATS is essential to our members and the industry in maintaining regulatory continuity,” said Robert F. Helminiak, Vice President of Legal and Government Relations. “It ensures that companies know what regulations will be in place, how to comply with those regulations, and what infrastructure, security and other investments to make.

“SOCMA member companies hold the safety and security of their facilities and the United States as a whole as a top priority,” Helminiak said. “This short-term reauthorization of the CFATS program is one more step in securing the safety of every U.S. citizen.”

SOCMA, along with the CFATS Coalition, will continue to work with Congress and DHS to develop long-term reauthorization in the 116th Congress.