[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 154 (Tuesday, September 24, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           PFAS CONTAMINATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, across the United States 
and in my district, we are seeing more and more communities threatened 
with PFAS contamination.
  The proliferation of toxic PFAS chemicals throughout our environment 
is a risk to human health, and as Congress continues to act on this 
issue, we must listen to the families and citizens who have had to live 
with this contamination.
  I cannot imagine the fear of a parent who has learned that their 
children's drinking water is contaminated with these harmful chemicals.
  That is why earlier this year, I introduced legislation that would 
prohibit companies from adjusting PFAS chemicals at the molecular level 
to bypass environmental protection at the Environmental Protection 
Agency.
  Turning off the tap for approving new PFAS chemicals is one step that 
Congress can take as we work to fully understand how expansive PFAS 
contamination is to our environment and to human health.
  Congress must act on this issue, which is why last month, I convened 
a PFAS summit with my friend and colleague Chris Pappas to hear from 
environmental advocates, impacted families, and community leaders in 
New Hampshire who are on the front lines of cleaning up PFAS 
contamination.

                              {time}  1215

  We also heard from experts who are working on long-term solutions to 
cleaning up these ``forever chemicals,'' and I am pleased to bring some 
of these ideas back to Washington as a member of the bipartisan 
Congressional PFAS Task Force. This group has brought together 
Democrats and Republicans from across the country to put the issue of 
PFAS contamination front and center in Washington, D.C.
  The PFAS Task Force has already been effective in advancing important 
provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act to help clean up 
contaminated sites and protect servicemembers, their families, and 
first responders who have been exposed.
  As House and Senate leaders begin conferencing on this bill, it is 
critical that the final National Defense Authorization Act includes 
PFAS provisions from the House- and Senate-passed bills. Americans have 
waited long enough.
  Congress has an important opportunity to pass bipartisan legislation 
that will protect veterans, current servicemembers, firefighters 
occupationally exposed to PFAS, and families in communities impacted by 
military PFAS contamination.
  This issue is critical to my district and my State, and I will 
continue to work across the aisle with anyone who is willing to protect 
communities and future generations from PFAS contamination.

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