House Passes NDAA with Slotkin's Bipartisan Amendment on PFAS Regulations, Treatment for Service Members

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The House of Representatives tonight passed the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) along with an amendment introduced by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) to address PFAS contamination and treatment for exposure.

Slotkin's bipartisan amendment on PFAS passed with 20 Republicans supporting it. The amendment calls for a national drinking water standard for PFAS, tighter reporting regulations on businesses that release PFAS into the environment, and specialized training for Department of Defense medical providers on treatment for PFAS exposure.

In remarks on the House floor on Tuesday, Slotkin said:

"These potential health effects of PFAS exposure are serious -- it has been linked to liver and kidney damage, thyroid problems, and cancer. Unfortunately, not all medical providers are familiar with the risks associated with PFAS exposure nor the steps that should be taken by those who have been exposed. That's where my amendment comes in. With necessary training, Department of Defense doctors would be able to identify effects before they get worse and refer their patients for appropriate treatment. I'm glad we're making strides elsewhere in this NDAA to expand evaluation of servicemembers for PFAS exposure. This is something I've been fighting hard for [because] our servicemen and women deserve to know if they have been exposed to high levels of these dangerous chemicals."

In total, 28 amendments submitted by Slotkin were adopted into the final bill. During its markup of the NDAA earlier this month, the House Armed Services Committee approved 22 amendments submitted by Slotkin, including:

PFAS strictest standard: Requiring DoD, when conducting PFAS remediation and removal, to adhere to the most stringent standard in that location, among a federal lifetime health advisory, an appropriately promulgated state standard, or a federal standard.
PFAS testing disclosure: Requiring the DoD to publish results of drinking and ground water PFAS testing conducted on or near military installations or former defense sites such that they are publicly available.

PFAS exposure assessment: Requiring DoD to offer PFAS exposure evaluation and testing for service members who want it as part of their annual exam.
Congressional defense earmarks: Directing the Secretary of Defense to report on Congressional increases to the defense budget to help ensure efficient funding of the Pentagon and prevent waste.
Critical supply chain risk assessment: Requiring DoD to develop a supply chain risk assessment framework, including transparency tools, to protect national security supply chains.
Slotkin also joined 14 Democrats and 28 Republicans to increase the Pentagon's top line budget by $23.9 billion, higher than President Joe Biden's proposal, to ensure the U.S. maintains its strategic edge over rivals like China.

The House and Senate will now go to conference to negotiate differences between their two versions of the bill before it can go to President Biden's desk to be signed into law.

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