Reps. Kathleen Law, Hopgood, Kolb, Alma Smith, Lipsey, Anderson, Plakas, Clack, McConico, Murphy, Zelenko, Waters, Meisner, Cushingberry, Adamini, Bieda, Brown, Byrnes, Farrah, Green, Kehrl, Lemmons, Jr., Miller, Pearce, Phillips, Sak, Stakoe, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Wojno, Accavitti, Gonzales, Marleau, Polidori, Ball, Byrum, Condino, Gleason, Leland, McDowell, Mortimer, Nofs and Shaffer offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 103.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to hold public hearings on the effects of mercury exposure on public health.

            Whereas, The medical and scientific communities have concluded that mercury is a serious threat to public health. Exposure to the metallic, inorganic, and organic forms of mercury can permanently damage the human brain and kidney. The developing fetus is particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of mercury passed through the mother's blood and may suffer permanent brain damage, mental retardation, incoordination, blindness, seizures, and the inability to speak. Mercury can also damage the central nervous and digestive systems of infants and young children; and

            Whereas, Mercury is ubiquitous in our environment and is still found in many products used in our homes, schools, and health care system. Mercury bioaccumulates in fish and wildlife causing many states and the United States Food and Drug Administration to restrict the consumption of sport and commercial fish based on the high levels of mercury in the fish. Mercury is still used in many products, including thermometers and light switches that have been linked to spills causing evacuations of schools. Until 1999 a mercury-containing preservative was widely used in vaccines and only recently has use of this preservative been eliminated from the vaccines routinely administered to newborns. Nevertheless, this mercury-containing preservative is still found in some vaccines administered to children; and

            Whereas, Mercury is continually released into the air by a variety of man-made and natural sources, including power plants, cement kilns, incinerators, volcanoes, and oceans. These sources emit different forms of mercury, which may be carried short or long distances in the air before falling to the earth. Much of the mercury emitted to the air finds its way into fish that are eaten by people and wildlife. The effectiveness of pollution control technologies is also highly dependent on the form of mercury emitted. Scientists are still trying to understand how different forms of mercury travel in the air, fall to the earth, and become available for uptake by fish; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to hold public hearings on the hazards of mercury exposure; promote research on ways to reduce mercury exposure; and spur action to control mercury emissions; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.