Christopher Coons (D-DE)
Safer Choice Program Authorization Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill officially authorizes the Safer Choice Program within the Environmental Protection Agency to help promote products that are safer for people and the environment. It keeps the program voluntary while setting up clear rules for how products get certified and labeled. The bill allows the agency to use independent third-party groups to review technical product information and chemical safety. It also requires the EPA to maintain a public database of certified products and submit annual reports to Congress. Finally, the bill authorizes $6,000,000 in funding for each fiscal year from 2028 through 2034 to keep the program running.
Yes· 3 of 19
- Scored +7
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The legislation formally authorizes the Safer Choice Program to promote chemical ingredients safer for the environment.
- Scored +6
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The program provides consumers and businesses with clear, reliable information to choose products that meet high safety standards.
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires public databases of certified products, annual reports to Congress, and transparent stakeholder meetings.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes new federal appropriations of $6,000,000 annually for the Safer Choice Program.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
The bill authorizes $6,000,000 in annual appropriations from 2028 through 2034, increasing government spending.
- Scored -1
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?
The creation of a new authorized funding stream adds to federal budgetary commitments.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Better Information for Consumers: Under Section 2 and Section 5(a), the program gives consumers and businesses clear, reliable information to help them choose products that meet high standards for safety and performance.
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Support for Innovation and Safety: Under Section 4(b), the program encourages the creation and use of chemical ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment while making sure products still work well.
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Safer Chemical Tracking: Under Section 6(c), the Administrator maintains and updates the Safer Chemical Ingredients List to clearly identify which chemicals are allowed to be used in products meeting the safety standards.
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Clear Public Access: Under Section 8(b), the Administrator must keep a publicly accessible database of all products that are authorized to use the Safer Choice or Design for the Environment labels.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential Regulatory Costs: Under Section 9, the bill authorizes $6,000,000 in taxpayer funds for each fiscal year from 2028 through 2034 to carry out the program, which adds to government spending.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Business owners gain a predictable regulatory framework and market differentiation tools for safer chemistry. Would children be better off under this? — Promoting products formulated with chemical ingredients safer for human health benefits children and families. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Middle-aged individuals gain access to better information on household and cleaning products. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class households receive clear, reliable information to inform safe product selections. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Seniors benefit from enhanced safety standards on consumer goods. Would women be better off under this? — Women, who frequently purchase household and cleaning goods, benefit from transparent chemical safety information. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults benefit from clear labeling and safer consumer choices. Would high-income households be better off under this? — High-income households benefit from enhanced consumer labeling and product safety verification. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Better product transparency aids informed purchasing decisions across all income levels. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural residents benefit from broader availability and transparency of environmentally safer products. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Urban residents benefit from broader availability and transparency of environmentally safer products.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires public databases of certified products, annual reports to Congress, and transparent stakeholder meetings. Does this make it easier to do business across state lines? — The bill creates a unified federal framework for product labeling that facilitates national commercial distribution. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill officially authorizes an EPA program and establishes federal criteria for product labels and third-party profilers.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The program provides consumers and businesses with clear, reliable information to choose products that meet high safety standards. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Small and medium-sized businesses benefit from a predictable framework and reliable certification criteria for safer products. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill supports market demand and verification processes for safer products, indirectly encouraging business growth and jobs in green chemistry. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Providing clear standards helps businesses differentiate products and respond to consumer demand efficiently. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes new federal appropriations of $6,000,000 annually for the Safer Choice Program. Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The creation of a new authorized funding stream adds to federal budgetary commitments. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The bill authorizes $6,000,000 in annual appropriations from 2028 through 2034, increasing government spending.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The legislation formally authorizes the Safer Choice Program to promote chemical ingredients safer for the environment.
- 7/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/18/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/2/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Lisa Blunt RochesterDemocrat · Delaware
John CurtisRepublican · Utah
Jon HustedRepublican · Ohio