[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3244-S3245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1733. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Hassan, Mr.
Blumenthal, and Mr. Booker) submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by her to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for
fiscal year 2021 for military activities of the Department of Defense,
for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department
of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:
At the end of subtitle B of title III, add the following:
SEC. 3__. RESPONSE TO RELEASE OF PERFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES
AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
(a) Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Task
Force.--
[[Page S3245]]
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a
task force to address the effects of the release of
perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances from
activities of the Department of Defense (in this subsection
referred to as the ``PFAS Task Force'').
(2) Membership.--The members of the PFAS Task Force are the
following:
(A) The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment.
(B) The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations,
Energy, and Environment.
(C) The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy,
Installations, and Environment.
(D) The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for
Installations, Environment, and Energy.
(E) A liaison from the Department of Veterans Affairs to be
determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(3) Chairman.--The Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Sustainment shall be the chairman of the PFAS Task Force.
(4) Support.--The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel
and Readiness and such other individuals as the Secretary of
Defense considers appropriate shall support the activities of
the PFAS Task Force.
(5) Duties.--The duties of the PFAS Task Force are the
following:
(A) Analysis of the health aspects of exposure to
perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
(B) Establishment of clean-up standards and performance
requirements relating to mitigating the effects of the
release of perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl
substances.
(C) Finding and funding the procurement of an effective
substitute firefighting foam without perfluoroalkyl
substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances.
(D) Establishment of standards that are supported by
science for determining exposure to and ensuring clean up of
perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
(E) Establishment of interagency coordination with respect
to mitigating the effects of the release of perfluoroalkyl
substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
(6) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and semiannually thereafter, the
Chairman of the PFAS Task Force shall submit to Congress a
report on the activities of the task force.
(b) Blood Testing for Members of the Armed Forces and Their
Dependents to Determine Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl and
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances.--
(1) In general.--Beginning on October 1, 2020, the
Secretary of Defense shall make available, on an annual
basis, to each member of the Armed Forces and their
dependents blood testing to determine and document potential
exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (commonly known as ``PFAS'').
(2) Dependent defined.--In this subsection, the term
``dependent'' has the meaning given that term in section
1072(2) of title 10, United States Code.
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