Congressamn Conyers Mold Legislation

[Guest guest]

Around 3 PM on May 24, 2002, I received a phone call from Segal of Congressman Conyers Washington office. wanted to discuss the Congressman's Mold Bill. I told I only had a few minutes because I was on my way out the door to see my Mother at the Nursing Home. She had just be sent there a few hours earlier.

read me a few snippets of the Congressman's bill. One dealt with how much citizens should pay for mold inspections. I suggested lowering the high end to no more that $2000. I actual wanted it to be less but said they couldn't go any lower. He also discussed another part of the bill and I suggested changes to the wording so that the intent of the legislation would not be open to any lawyer or court interpretation.

I told I had to leave And asked for a copy of the bill. I have been asking for a copy for some months. said he would email me one. I closed by saying that unless there were penalties and fines against those that allowed or withheld the knowledge of mold, I could not support anybody's legislation.

I said Congress holds car makers and cigarette makers accountable for defective products, why not those that allow or create the presence of mold? I further states that if we found a cure for cancer but did nothing to stops its cause, we would still have cancer.

The following week, having had no response from or the Congressman's staff, I called and left a voice message for in which I again asked for a copy of the legislation. Here it is June 3 and I still haven't had any communications.

From what read to me, it seems that the Congressman is establishing the fixed price for how much citizens can be charged for mold inspections. I feel that is unfair to taxpayers. We already have local, state and federal health inspectors and agencies that are suppose to protect us. These groups are paid by our tax dollars. Why must citizens now hire their own inspectors to do the same job government is required to do, protect us?

I have found that the major problem Nationwide is that these local, state and federal health agencies refuse to help protect citizens or they ignore the health issues. That is why I have said if they are not a solution to the problem they are a part of the problem. They must be held accountable for their failures to we citizens.

We do not need to create another layer of government when we already have them in place. We need to force the government agencies to start doing their jobs or face being fired and prosecuted. This is called being accountable for ones acts or failures.

I cannot support or recommend any legislation on any issue unless I am allowed to see and read it. Having somebody pick and chose what parts I can be read is not an answer but an insult. One final thought is what will the price tag be for this mold legislation and how is it going to be paid for?

Last year, California passed a pretty good mold bill. Sadly, it was never funded by the Governor or Legislature. Their small cost was under 500 thousand dollars. I would think that Congressman Conyers bill will have a multibillion dollar price tag. Where is the money going to come from to pay this?

Ken Moulton