Tell your Representative: Ban toxic nerve agent pesticides!

Nerve agent pesticides are getting into the food we eat, the water we drink, and the environment that wildlife depends on. They can harm our health. And they're toxic to birds, bees, and other essential species. In short, they're devastating to the entire ecosystems they're used in.

Rep. Velazquez just introduced legislation that would ban this dangerous class of pesticides. We need your help to build support in Congress for this bill!

Dear Representative,

I am writing to urge you to cosponsor Rep. Velazquez’s bill, H.R. 6631 -- the Ban Nerve Agents In Our Food Act of 2018. This bill would cancel current EPA registration and prohibit any future registration or use of the organophosphate class of pesticides.

Organophosphates are toxic nerve agent pesticides that were developed in World War II and adapted as insecticides after the war. They can lead to acute poisonings, death and adverse health impacts including paralysis, leukemia, brain damage, and birth defects.

EPA estimates that more than 33 million pounds of organophosphates are sprayed on crops every year and farmworkers, farmers and rural communities are especially vulnerable. In just 2014, the American Association of Poison Control Centers documented that there were over 2,900 reported cases of organophosphate poisoning and more than 700 of the cases involved children younger than 13 years old. Aside from impacts on human health, organophosphates are poisonous to insects and other animals including birds, amphibians and mammals.

Chlorpyrifos is one type of organophosphate. It has been linked to Parkinson’s disease and lung cancer. It was banned for home use in 2001, due to its clear impact on children’s developing brains. The EPA moved to revoke all uses of this toxic pesticide, but then under the current administration, the EPA reversed course.

The actions of the Trump administration signal that they are more concerned about protecting the interests of the pesticide industry than the American public. As your constituent, I urge you to take leadership on this issue by cosponsoring Rep. Velazquez’s bill. 
 
There are effective alternatives for pest management that won’t poison our children. We must protect ourselves, our children and our environment from these dangerous pesticides.

Please cosponsor Ban Nerve Agents in Our Food Act of 2018 to demonstrate that you prioritize the interests of the American public over the corporate profits of the pesticide industry.

Thank you,

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