# 119-sres-560: A resolution recognizing that mercury pollution can cause severe health problems, including permanent brain damage, kidney damage, and birth defects.

119-sres-560, A resolution recognizing that mercury pollution can cause severe health problems, including permanent brain damage, kidney damage, and birth defects., is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (D-RI); status introduced (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-560
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-sres-560
- Congress: 119
- Title: A resolution recognizing that mercury pollution can cause severe health problems, including permanent brain damage, kidney damage, and birth defects.
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-12-17
- Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (D-RI)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Policy area: Environmental Protection
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Mercury pollution is a serious public health hazard.** This Senate resolution would recognize mercury as a powerful neurotoxin, explain how fossil fuel combustion sends mercury into air, water, and the food chain, and urge the EPA not to weaken limits on mercury from power plants. - Families who eat fish would be affected: ingestion of fish from contaminated waters is the most common exposure route, and states maintain fish advisories — more than 3,700 advisories were reported across the U.S. as of 2025. - Children and pregnant people face special risks: about 80,000,000 people live within three miles of a fossil fuel–fired power plant, including roughly 17,000,000 children; prenatal exposure can cause severe, lasting developmental harms. - The resolution highlights that fossil fuel–fired power plants are the largest U.S. source of mercury and states there is no known safe level of exposure.

## Cosponsors (8)

- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE] (D-DE), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-sres-560 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-resolution/560)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-560 (as of 2026-09-10).