The American Chemical Society (ACS) hosted “The Positive Impact of Chemistry on the Economy,” an event marking the expansion of the Congressional Chemistry Caucus to the Senate. The Congressional Chemistry Caucus was launched last year in the House of Representatives. A partnership between ACS, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD), the event highlighted chemistry’s crucial role in the U.S. economy.
“ACS and its members are excited to join with our colleagues from ACC and NACD in celebrating a bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Chemistry Caucus,” says ACS executive director and CEO Thomas Connelly Jr., Ph.D. “An influential alliance such as the Chemistry Caucus, working together to help advance balanced policies to grow the chemistry enterprise, has never been more needed than right now.”
At the March 29th event, caucus cosponsors Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) and Gary C. Peters (D-Mich.) will make remarks. A.N. Sreeram, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief technology officer of the Dow Chemical Company, delivered the keynote address. Other speakers included Congressmen John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Daniel W. Lipinski, Ph.D. (D-Ill.), cosponsors of the House of Representatives Chemistry Caucus; ACS’ Connelly; ACC CEO Calvin M. Dooley; and NACD President Eric R. Byer.
In addition to the cosponsors, the Senate component of the Congressional Chemistry Caucus includes John N. Boozman (R-Ark.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) with membership expected to increase as the caucus establishes itself. On the House side, the chemistry caucus, which was launched in April 2016, now has nearly 40 new members, according to ACS.
For more information, visit: www.acs.org
