International Solid Waste Legislation Passes Committee in Bipartisan Vote WASHINGTON – The full House Energy and Commerce Committee today passed by voice vote H.R. 2491, the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act of 2005. “I am very pleased that the International Waste Bill passed the Energy and Commerce Committee with such strong bipartisan support,” said U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor, R-Ohio, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials. “I have long held that states should be able to say how much and what trash is accepted in the landfills that they paid for and permitted. Importing foreign trash affects public health and landfill capacity in our communities and states should be able to protect themselves.” H.R. 2491 would provide states a window of time to place limitations, consistent with our international trade obligations, on municipal solid waste that is generated in another country and exported to a U.S. state for disposal. The bill also implements the Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America Concerning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous and Other Waste. ####