(AURN News) — Congresswomen are coming together to help protect Black hair. Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., have introduced the Healthy Hair Act. The legislation would ban formaldehyde in hair straightening and smoothing products nationwide.
The bill will classify products containing formaldehyde as adulterated under federal law, effectively pulling them off of shelves and out of salons.
Supporters say this is a public health crisis hiding in plain sight. While the FDA proposed a rule in 2023 to ban formaldehyde in hair products, it has yet to finalize it. Lawmakers backing the bill argue that the delay has left millions exposed.
Chemical hair straighteners have been linked to higher risks of uterine cancer, and some products contain formaldehyde — a known carcinogen — which is associated with respiratory illness and other reproductive harms, including fibroids.
Black women are already disproportionately impacted — more likely to develop aggressive forms of uterine cancer and twice as likely to die from it.
The legislation is backed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus and more than a dozen House Democrats.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
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