Bicameral Resolution Introduced to Designate Dec. 3 as National Chemical Disaster Awareness Day

December 3 :
Along with Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Rashida Tlaib, Indian American Representative Pramila Jayapal has introduced a bicameral resolution to proclaim December 3 as the National Chemical Disaster Awareness Day in the US.

To mark the passing of four decades after the world's worst chemical accident—the Bhopal tragedy—the resolution calls attention to the persistent danger that chemical accidents continue to pose, both domestically and internationally.

The representative for Washington's 7th congressional district, Pramila Jayapal, highlighted the Bhopal tragedy's human cost and corporate carelessness. Jayapal stated that the Bhopal disaster was among the most devastating industrial and environmental disasters that humanity has ever seen, with thousands of lives lost and hundreds of thousands more permanently injured. "We must ensure that all victims and their families are adequately compensated and cared for and hold Union Carbide Corporation, which is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company, accountable for their role in this incident," she emphasized.

Underscoring the broader issue of corporate accountability, the Congresswoman said, Far too often, large corporations are able to easily escape accountability for their wrongdoings, especially when those affected are poor and underserved communities. I am honored to spearhead my colleagues' demands for justice, awareness-raising, and the eradication of these wrongs and the prevention of future events in solidarity with these communities.

The resolution considers the frequency of chemical accidents in the United States, drawing attention to the fact that nearly every day in 2023, including the notorious train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio, one of these occurrences happened. From 2021 to 2024, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board documented several accidental releases, resulting in serious harm, loss of life, and destruction of property.

As head of the Senate's subcommittee on environmental justice, Senator Merkley stressed how critical it is to move quickly. He emphasized that even though it has been forty years since the Bhopal tragedy, there is still an immediate need for stricter regulations to safeguard citizens and employees from chemical accidents.

From Bhopal to Detroit, we all have the right to breathe clean air, as Rep. Rashida Tlaib put it. For the incalculable number of casualties, illnesses, and ecological devastation brought about by corporate greed, Dow Chemical must pay restitution to the Bhopal survivors. Rachna Dhingra, who is in charge of the global justice movement following the Bhopal disaster, lauded the resolution, stating, "By designating December 3rd as National Chemical Disaster Awareness Day, the U.S. Congress sends a powerful message to chemical manufacturers: 'We will remember, and you will be held accountable.'"