Protecting Firefighters From Adverse Substances Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Lucas for yielding.

Ranking Member Lucas, I thank you for all of your hard work on this. I agree with you. The scientific process should be respected and used to inform and direct policymaking to effectively protect human health and our environment.

While it may take time to continue to develop the science around many of the lesser known PFAS compounds, a great deal of science has already been completed and known for years on the most notorious PFAS compounds.

With respect to this bill, the PFAS Act would help protect the health and safety of firefighters, emergency responders, and the communities they serve from these harmful chemicals by developing guidance--not bans--for firefighters and other emergency response personnel on training, education programs, and best practices to protect them from exposure to harmful PFAS and to prevent its release into the environment.

Emergency response teams are frequently exposed to harmful PFAS in firefighting foams and personal protective equipment as they work to keep their communities safe. It is important that we act on behalf of our first responders to mitigate their exposure to these harmful PFAS chemicals and prevent environmental releases while the scientific work must continue, and we gain a full understanding of the effects of all PFAS compounds.

Again, I thank Ranking Member Lucas for continuing to work with us on this important legislation. We wouldn't be here without the gentleman today. It will make a meaningful difference for long-term first responders, their families, and the communities they serve.

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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 231, the Protecting Firefighters From Adverse Substances Act, or the PFAS Act.

I am proud to stand here today in support of this important bipartisan legislation to protect our first responders from forever chemicals, which I am co-leading with my friend and colleague, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick.

This is a significant bill that has already passed the Senate with unanimous consent and bipartisan support thanks to the leadership of Senator Gary Peters.

The PFAS Act would simply direct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other Federal agencies to provide important guidance for Federal, State, and local firefighters on training and best practices to reduce, limit, and prevent exposure to PFAS from firefighting foam and turnout gear, as well as provide resources that identify alternatives for firefighting tools and equipment that do not contain harmful PFAS.

Today, by supporting this bill, the House can continue to take bold action, once again, to address the PFAS crisis--this time to protect our firefighters.

Forever chemicals are an urgent threat to public health and, specifically, our firefighters who are on the front line. Emergency response teams are frequently exposed to harmful PFAS in firefighting foams and personal protective equipment as they work to keep our communities safe.

These manmade chemicals--but specifically the two most notoriously harmful chemicals, PFOA and PFOS--are extremely persistent in the environment, as well, as a result of its use during fire training exercises and real-world emergency response situations. PFAS chemicals are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. These chemicals have been linked to harmful human health effects, including cancer, reproductive and developmental harms, and weaken immune systems.

Nearly every American has some level of PFAS coursing through their blood today.

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Mrs. DINGELL. This important bill is supported by the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, and first responders all across this country.

We must get this important, commonsense, and bipartisan legislation to the President's desk without delay to protect our firefighters and the communities they serve.

Finally, I thank leadership for bringing the PFAS Act to the floor under suspension today. I express a special thanks to Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson and Ranking Member Frank Lucas--who has really worked with me closely on this--and each of their staff for continuing to work with me to advance this critically important bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this PFAS Act. This is an important bipartisan and meaningful bill to protect the health and safety of our first responders from harmful PFAS in the line of duty.

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