The National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) President and CEO Eric R. Byer released the following statement after Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced S. 2178, a five-year reauthorization of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program:

“Since 2007, the CFATS program has protected high-risk chemical facilities against security threats. These facilities are critical in the manufacturing, storage, transportation, use, and delivery of essential chemicals used in nearly every U.S. industry, including agriculture, energy, electronics, paint and coatings, water treatment, health care and pharmaceuticals, and more. 

“CFATS can continue only with Congressional reauthorization, which will provide the chemical distribution industry with the support to make long-term facility security investments and enable the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to efficiently run the program.

“We’re pleased to see the Senate take the first step in ensuring CFATS is extended for another five years, and we thank Chairman Peters for sponsoring S. 2178 and Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for cosponsoring the bill. It is critical that this program’s mission continues to protect against security threats at high-risk chemical facilities throughout the nation.

“We urge Congress to swiftly pass this critical bill ahead of its expiration date this July and send it to President Biden for his signature.”

To learn more, visit www.nacd.com.