[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 215 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      PROTECTING FIREFIGHTERS FROM ADVERSE SUBSTANCES ACT OF 2019

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 409, S. 2353.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2353) to direct the Administrator of the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency to develop guidance for 
     firefighters and other emergency response personnel on best 
     practices to protect them from exposure to PFAS and to limit 
     and prevent the release of PFAS into the environment, and for 
     other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider 
be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action 
or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2353) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time and passed as follows:

                                S. 2353

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Firefighters from 
     Adverse Substances Act of 2019'' or the ``PFAS Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PREVENT EXPOSURE TO AND RELEASE OF 
                   PFAS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency, in consultation with the 
     Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, the 
     Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
     Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety 
     and Health, and the heads of any other relevant agencies, 
     shall--
       (1) develop and publish guidance for firefighters and other 
     emergency response personnel on training, education programs, 
     and best practices to--
       (A) reduce the exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances (commonly referred to as ``PFAS'') from 
     firefighting foam and personal protective equipment; and
       (B) limit or prevent the release of PFAS from firefighting 
     foam into the environment;
       (2) develop and issue guidance to firefighters and other 
     emergency response personnel on alternative foams, personal 
     protective equipment, and other firefighting tools and 
     equipment that do not contain PFAS; and
       (3) create an online public repository, which shall be 
     updated on a regular basis, on tools and best practices for 
     firefighters and other emergency response personnel to 
     reduce, limit, and prevent the release of and exposure to 
     PFAS.
       (b) Required Consultation.--In developing the guidance 
     required under subsection (a), the Administrator of the 
     Federal Emergency Management Agency shall consult with 
     appropriate interested entities, including--
       (1) firefighters and other emergency response personnel, 
     including national fire service and emergency response 
     organizations;
       (2) impacted communities dealing with PFAS contamination;
       (3) scientists, including public and occupational health 
     and safety experts, who are studying PFAS and PFAS 
     alternatives in firefighting foam;
       (4) voluntary standards organizations engaged in developing 
     standards for firefighter and firefighting equipment;
       (5) State fire training academies;
       (6) State fire marshals;
       (7) manufacturers of firefighting tools and equipment; and
       (8) any other relevant entities, as determined by the 
     Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 
     the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
       (c) Review of Guidance.--Not later than 3 years after the 
     date on which the guidance required under subsection (a) is 
     issued, and not less frequently than once every 2 years 
     thereafter, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency, in consultation with the Administrator of 
     the United States Fire Administration, the Administrator of 
     the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director of the 
     National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, shall 
     review the guidance and, as appropriate, issue updates to the 
     guidance.
       (d) Applicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee 
     Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to this Act.

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