[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 10, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H9956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ADDRESSING PFAS CONTAMINATION AND ITS DEVASTATING EFFECTS

  (Mr. DELGADO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, in September, I was named to the National 
Defense Authorization Act conference committee, which is tasked with 
reconciling differences between the House and Senate-passed defense 
authorization bills.
  In this role, I believe I would have the chance to advocate for 
provisions for PFAS contamination and its devastating effects, which 
include thyroid disease, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. The 
contaminant has wreaked havoc in my district, from Hoosick Falls to 
Petersburgh.
  Unfortunately, leaders in both parties ultimately opted to hijack 
negotiations at the eleventh hour behind closed doors and in a 
disturbingly undemocratic fashion. In the end, nearly every PFAS 
provision was stripped from the agreement.
  While I am pleased that my bipartisan legislation requiring PFAS 
chemicals to be listed on the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory was 
ultimately included, I am, nonetheless, deeply frustrated by an 
incredibly flawed process completely void of transparency.
  For this reason, I decided not to sign the final conference report. I 
expected more from this process, and I am quite certain the American 
people expect more from this body.

                          ____________________