Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Introduces Legislation to Require Trades Experience on Board Investigating Nippon Dynawave Incident

Resources / Press Share on Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Introduces Legislation to Require Trades Experience on Board Investigating Nippon Dynawave Incident Oct 19, 2026 Press WASHINGTON, DC — This month, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez introduced the Chemical Safety Board Accountability Act, to ensure open board seats on the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) are filled in a timely manner by qualified candidates who have experience working in mills or other trades settings. The CSB is an independent watchdog tasked with investigating chemical incidents, including the incident at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview that killed 11 men, and making recommendations for safety improvements. The Clean Air Act (CAA) states that the CSB’s governing body shall consist of five members, including a chairperson nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Currently, the board only has two members, and there is no indication of a plan to fill the empty seats. With two board members, the CSB can continue to carry out its statutory responsibilities, but a reduction to a single member could constrain the board’s ability to fulfill its mission.  Under the CAA, there is no mechanism requiring empty board seats be filled and new board members are only required to be “technically and professionally qualified.” The bill introduced by Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez would amend the CAA to ensure board seats are filled quickly and by members with real experience working in the trades. Specifically, this legislation would: Amend the CAA to ensure that at least one Board member of the Chemical Safety Board has substantial experience in the trades. Require that the President must fill vacancies within 90 days if a vacancy arises or a term expires. Ensure that if the President fails to nominate someone within 90 days, they must submit a report to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works that includes the reasons why the President did not submit a nomination and a plan to submit a nomination within the next 90 days. They must repeat this until they submit a nomination. “When it comes to worker safety, we need a system that prioritizes people with actual skin in the game. Lab conditions aren’t mill conditions and ensuring that people investigating incidents and making recommendations on rules changes have real experience in the trades will help increase confidence in findings and usefulness of the recommendations,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “ Since coming to Congress, ensuring working people have a seat at the table when rules are made has been a priority for me–and this is a step in the right direction.” “Workers deserve a voice in the decisions that affect their safety, including the investigations that follow when something goes terribly wrong. People who have operated and maintained these facilities bring firsthand knowledge of the equipment, working conditions, and warning signs that must inform both an investigation and the recommendations that come out of it,” said Josh Estes, spokesperson for the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers. “The loss of 11 men at Nippon Dynawave makes this responsibility deeply personal for our union. We support Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez’s proposal to embed practical trades experience in the Chemical Safety Board’s leadership and ensure vacancies receive timely action. Families deserve answers, and workers deserve a fully functioning, independent board equipped to turn those answers into changes that save lives.” Through her work on the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez has fought to ensure that the CSB has the resources needed to perform their oversight and investigative work. In a major win this June, she was able to secure full funding for the CSB after the President’s budget proposed defunding the Board completely. In August of this year, the CSB released a report with initial findings on the Nippon Dynawave incident. In a statement that week, the Congresswoman highlighted the significant value of the Board and the dire need to ensure seats are filled with experienced trades workers. #### Share on