The US government is eager to restore powers to keep dangerous chemicals out of extremists’ hands

By REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Congress returns this week, Homeland Security officials and those in the chemical industries will be watching to see if a program regulating the chemical sector will be on its agenda. The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program lets Homeland Security officials regulate security at high-risk chemical facilities. The goal is tracking chemical materials and keeping them away from extremists or other bad actors who want to steal them and turn them into weapons. The program expired July 28 after Congress failed to renew its authority. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told the Chemical Security Summit in Virginia the risk extremists could access and weaponize dangerous chemicals produced at the facilities “increases by the day.”