There are many reasons an amendment such as this should be in place. The most important reason is the health care of the citizens of this nation. Every time I listen to a news report I hear the government is trying to cut the rising cost of health care. This would be a good way to do this and more. Doctors look for the obvious reasons why a person is ill they don't take in account that there might be other underlying reasons. In other words they treat the symptoms not the toxic effect. The doctors can't be blamed, they are not being told. The person suffering doesn't know what is happening. By the doctors treating the symptoms it cost the taxpayers millions of dollars a year. The people that are most at risk are our children and the elderly. The State Agencies or State Insurance cares for some of these children, while most elderly depend on Medicare for their medical insurance. If we can stop the poisoning of our food supply by these industries our children and elderly will have a healthy and more productive life. I'm also concerned about the exposure that Americans are getting to styrene and formaldehyde. It has just recently been determined that I suffer from styrene and formaldehyde poisoning probably caused by overexposure to both styrene and formaldehyde while delivering Styrofoam trays and other products containing these chemicals when I was a truck driver. For more than 9 years I have suffered with symptoms such as migraines, gastrointestinal problems, atypical chest wall pain that can be so severe it mimicked a heart attack 3 times, chronic sinusitis and frequent TIA's without knowing why. Since finding out and after some intense research on what to avoid I am starting to feel better. Yet I am concerned for other people and how they may be being poisoned and not know it. Although, supposedly, our bodies are made to process some of the toxins in our environment, I believe we are all being over exposed. According to OSHA, the EPA, and the ATSDR, (http://www.oshaslc.gov/SLTC/styrene/index.html, http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/formaldehyde/index.html, http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts53.html, http://www.epa.gov/), being chronically exposed to styrene can cause such symptoms as depression, headache, fatigue, weakness, migraines and gastrointestinal problems, all symptoms, that seem to me to be on the rise, especially in children. Styrene is known to leach into foods from Styrofoam products. Some children in New York are exposed to styrene everyday if they buy a cafeteria lunch. In many schools it is now policy to have the food made off site and shipped to the school. The food is shipped and served in Styrofoam trays. People can also be exposed to a dose of styrene if they eat certain candies and ice creams and then again exposed if they bought meat or vegetables packaged on a Styrofoam tray. I think we should look at how such packaging of and addition to our foods could be causing a health hazard. As you can see all of my information comes from different government agencies, which are supposed to protect the American people. There is one more very important reason why we need to amend article 5706. I am always asked if the trucking industry is still hauling toxic loads in the same trailer (or truck) as food product. In speaking to an employee of ADM, Inc, late in the year 2000, I found that they (ADM) load flour and cornmeal into tank trailers for a small trucking company that hauls cement. The question is are these practices going to be ignored forever while these industries continue to slowly poison the American people. The other matter that I would like to address is the unfair business practices being allowed by the government in letting big business violate small business and individuals. Let me explain. In January and February of 1990 MPC Trucking sent paperwork encouraging independent contractors to buy into their workmen's compensation plan (see web page listed below). Although I never signed this paperwork, MPC Trucking started taking out 3.5% of my pay for the workmen's compensation from each one of my pay periods. If you look at the handwriting on my invoices you will find that it is different where they took the workmen's compensation out from 1990 to 1992. Approximately a month after MPC started to remove compensation from my pay I was injured, MPC Trucking paid this claim but not through workmen's compensation. They used a misc. insurance carrier. In 1992 after I was injured I inquired about a workmen's compensation claim number from MPC Trucking, a number that could not be acquired from the company until I got a lawyer. In 1995 when we filed the Workmen's Compensation claim, MPC brought in this same insurance company they referred us to (through the lawyer) in 1992. It had been indicated in a letter to the court that there was no insurance at the time of the incident with this company. So therefore the Workmen's Compensation insurance was never purchased for all the truck drivers with the money as they indicated (see web page). I have contacted the Broad of Labor whom I was referred to in both States, Pennsylvania and New York and was told the same thing, "The company should tell you but does not have to tell you who the insurance carrier is." Since this revelation MPC still has never had to tell me where the money went nor have they reimbursed me for the money taken. I believe this is fraudulent and leaves people vulnerable to these corrupt companies with no way to recoup their loses. I am a prime example of what can happen. I sub-contracted to MPC Trucking, a company which embezzled my money, stole my livelihood, stole my health and left me with no way to support my family and is a company not being held accountable. I went through this Worker's Compensation hearing a few years ago; the gory details can be viewed at http://www.mhonline.net/~bebear/Bearspage/MPC-W-C.htm It is because of this I believe there are two sets of laws-one for the individual and small business, the other for big business or corporations because of their lobbying or what I consider as paying off government to get their way. I would like to discuss these issues with you in more detail. Please contact me. Respectfully,