This bill mandates a new process for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when developing regulations for fluoride in drinking water. Specifically, before publishing a proposed rule to establish a maximum contaminant level goal or maximum contaminant level for fluoride, the EPA Administrator must engage the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). The EPA is required to seek an agreement with NASEM for a rapid response evidence review of the proposed rule, with a timeline between 90 and 180 days. During this process, the EPA must provide NASEM with all data and information used to justify the proposed regulation and is obligated to consider the results of NASEM's review. Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the entirety of NASEM's final report from this evidence review must be published in the Federal Register as part of the proposed rule, ensuring transparency and scientific rigor in fluoride regulation development.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Environmental Protection
Protect Our TEETH Act
USA119th CongressHR-4556| House
| Updated: 7/21/2025
This bill mandates a new process for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when developing regulations for fluoride in drinking water. Specifically, before publishing a proposed rule to establish a maximum contaminant level goal or maximum contaminant level for fluoride, the EPA Administrator must engage the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). The EPA is required to seek an agreement with NASEM for a rapid response evidence review of the proposed rule, with a timeline between 90 and 180 days. During this process, the EPA must provide NASEM with all data and information used to justify the proposed regulation and is obligated to consider the results of NASEM's review. Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the entirety of NASEM's final report from this evidence review must be published in the Federal Register as part of the proposed rule, ensuring transparency and scientific rigor in fluoride regulation development.