Overview
- Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jon Husted (R-OH) introduced the Safer Choice Program Authorization Act, S.4664, on June 2 to formally authorize the EPA’s Safer Choice and Design for the Environment programs.
- The bill directs EPA to run a voluntary Safer Choice program that uses science-based criteria to evaluate human health and environmental effects and requires comprehensive ingredient disclosure for approved products.
- S.4664 would designate Safer Choice and DfE marks as official EPA labels and give EPA tools to stop misuse, including notice and corrective actions, suspension or termination of label use, and referral to the Department of Justice for civil enforcement.
- The legislation requires annual public reporting to Congress, a searchable database of approved products, and authorizes $6 million per year for fiscal years 2028 through 2034 to support program operations.
- Sponsors frame the bill as bipartisan protection for a long-running voluntary program that appears on over 2,000 products, while the next steps to watch are congressional consideration and whether appropriators follow through on the scheduled funding.