[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 183 (Tuesday, November 29, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8609-H8612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PROTECTING FIREFIGHTERS FROM ADVERSE SUBSTANCES ACT

  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 231) 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 231

       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'' or the ``PFAS Act''.

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

       (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 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;
       (2) make available a curriculum designed to--
       (A) reduce and eliminate exposure to per- and 
     polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred to as ``PFAS'') 
     from firefighting foam and personal protective equipment;
       (B) prevent the release of PFAS from firefighting foam into 
     the environment; and
       (C) educate firefighters and other emergency response 
     personnel on foams and non-foam alternatives, 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) Curriculum.--
       (1) In general.--For the purpose of developing the 
     curriculum required under subsection (a)(2), the 
     Administrator of the United States Fire Administration shall 
     make recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security as 
     to the content of the curriculum.
       (2) Consultation.--For the purpose of making 
     recommendations under paragraph (1), the Administrator of the 
     United States Fire Administration shall consult with 
     interested entities, as appropriate, including--
       (A) firefighters and other emergency response personnel, 
     including national fire service and emergency response 
     organizations;
       (B) impacted communities dealing with PFAS contamination;
       (C) scientists, including public and occupational health 
     and safety experts, who are studying PFAS and PFAS 
     alternatives in firefighting foam;
       (D) voluntary standards organizations engaged in developing 
     standards for firefighter and firefighting equipment;
       (E) State fire training academies;
       (F) State fire marshals;
       (G) manufacturers of firefighting tools and equipment; and
       (H) any other relevant entities, as determined by the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the 
     United States Fire Administration.
       (c) Review.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which 
     the guidance and curriculum required under subsection (a) is 
     issued, and not less frequently than once every 3 years 
     thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 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 curriculum and, as appropriate, issue updates to the 
     guidance and curriculum.
       (d) Applicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee 
     Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to this Act.
       (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
     construed to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
     promulgate or enforce regulations under subchapter II of 
     chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as 
     the ``Administrative Procedure Act'').

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Stevens) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on S. 231, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 231, the Protecting 
Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act, or the PFAS Act, championed 
by my Michigan colleagues and dear friends, Congresswoman Debbie 
Dingell and Senator Gary Peters.
  I profoundly thank them for their steadfast and dedicated leadership 
on addressing PFAS contamination to protect our natural waters in the 
Great Lakes, our air, and beyond.
  Exposure to PFAS chemicals continues to harm the health and well-
being of families across America. My home State of Michigan has the 
most PFAS contaminated sites in the country, thus making it the State's 
biggest environmental crisis in half a century. But we also have been 
one of the very few States tracking it.
  Although scientific knowledge regarding PFAS continues to develop, we 
know PFAS chemicals are linked to serious adverse health effects in 
human beings. The more we find out, the worse the picture appears.
  Recently, the EPA sounded the alarm bell and asked its Science 
Advisory Board, the SAB, to review new analyses and data that suggests 
that two chemicals, which have been found in many drinking waters and 
surface waters in Michigan and around the country, are far more toxic 
than previously thought.
  While officials in Michigan have taken steps to address this crisis, 
there is so much more to be done at every level of government.
  Our efforts in Michigan need to be strengthened by Congressional 
action. In order to adequately address this threat, we need the Federal 
Government to step it up. That is why I am proud to cosponsor the bill 
we are considering today, Congresswoman Dingell's and Senator Peters' 
Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act.
  PFAS are human-made chemicals that have been manufactured since the 
1940s and can be found in a wide range of both consumer and industrial 
products, including firefighting foam and firefighter turnout gear.
  While firefighters have dedicated their lives to protecting others in 
keeping our communities safe, they have, unfortunately, been exposed to 
these forever chemicals on the job.
  The Department of Defense, the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, and the Federal Aviation Administration all conduct 
research on PFAS-free firefighting foam or PFAS-free firefighter gear.
  This promising work across our Federal Government is vital to 
reducing exposure to PFAS, but more progress is needed. Until PFAS-free 
alternatives are widespread, we must do everything we can to protect 
firefighters, emergency medical responders, and the communities they 
serve from unnecessary PFAS exposure.
  This bipartisan legislation directs the administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency to offer resources to help protect 
firefighters, emergency response personnel, and the communities they 
serve from PFAS exposure.

                              {time}  1500

  The bill also directs the administrator to provide resources that 
identify PFAS-free alternatives for firefighting gear and equipment. 
This

[[Page H8610]]

guidance would be developed in consultation with other Federal agencies 
conducting research on PFAS-free alternatives, as well as a wide range 
of stakeholders, including firefighting and emergency response 
personnel, communities dealing with PFAS contamination, fire training 
academies, manufacturers of firefighting tools and equipment, and 
voluntary standards organizations.
  This is America doing what America does best: innovating. This bill 
is an important step to protecting our first responders in the line of 
duty from exposure to harmful chemicals.
  It has already passed the Senate with bipartisan support, and today I 
urge my colleagues to join me in passing the bill here in the House and 
sending it to the President.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the PFAS Act.
  PFAS refers to a large group of high-strength, high-durability 
chemicals used in industry and consumer products. They are critical to 
the reliable and safe function of essential products like cell phones, 
military aircraft, solar panels, wind turbines, and medical devices. 
But because of their durability, they don't break down easily and last 
a long time in the environment. In some cases, but not all, that 
creates hazards to human health.
  There are more than 5,000 strands of PFAS in use, and their 
tremendous variation means we need to take a thoughtful and nuanced 
approach to regulating them. We absolutely need to protect the health 
and safety of firefighters, the military, and individuals exposed to 
harmful PFAS. That means preventing exposure to unsafe PFAS and 
addressing PFAS contamination now.
  But not all PFAS are harmful, and some are indispensable for things 
like fighting fires and protecting our servicemen and women from 
chemical warfare. Others are used for lithium batteries and solar 
energy equipment. So my concern about some of the legislation on PFAS 
is that they would ban their use entirely, even when that might not be 
necessary.
  The fact is that we don't fully understand the properties of all 
PFAS. Maybe a newly created strand has better fire suppression power 
and dissolves in a solution, or another has absolutely no human health 
effects and breaks down organically. We simply don't know yet, and we 
can't shut the door on innovation.
  The Science, Space, and Technology Committee is working hard to 
improve and expand our knowledge about PFAS so that we can make 
individual determinations about what is safe and what is not.
  For example, this summer, the House passed our Federal PFAS Research 
Evaluation Act which directs the National Academies to study the 
toxicity, effects, and behavior of different strands of PFAS. It also 
will study emerging PFAS strands in hopes of finding more harmless 
strains with effective and useful properties.
  This is groundbreaking research, and it can't be done overnight. So 
while the experts are working on it, my fellow Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee members and I urge the rest of this body to 
respect the scientific process.
  Do not pass legislation that outright eliminates all 5,000-plus 
strands of PFAS without the scientific understanding to support that 
decision.
  Here is the good news: The bill we are considering today isn't 
intended to put us on a path toward banning PFAS. While some of the 
language could be construed by a creative mind to be broadly anti-PFAS, 
I know that is not the intention of the sponsors of this bill from 
Michigan, nor is it the intention of the Science, Space, and Technology 
Committee.
  To further support this, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan 
(Mrs. Dingell) to engage in a colloquy on her intent related to this 
bill.
  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.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentlewoman 
for her remarks in agreement. We both share the understanding that 
instead of banning PFAS, this bill focuses on education, understanding, 
and knowledge of these chemicals. Specifically, it will ensure that we 
are protecting our firefighters who rely on PFAS to extinguish fires.

  There aren't many alternatives to PFAS when it comes to fighting 
fires, but firefighters put their lives at risk every day, and this 
bill will ensure they aren't facing long-term health risks simply 
because of the equipment and the tools they use daily.
  We can mitigate harmful effects by carefully studying what chemicals 
first responders are exposed to and ensuring they are properly educated 
about safety procedures and risks.
  The curriculum authorized by this bill is just that. We are focusing 
on education, understanding, and knowledge. I support its passage 
today. When the time comes, I have every intention of working with the 
gentlewoman from Michigan to make sure we are targeting the truly bad 
PFAS--those with health and environmental effects. But for now, I 
appreciate that my friends on the other side of the aisle are leaving 
the door open for future development and letting science determine the 
outcome, not politics.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).
  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

[[Page H8611]]

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.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Michigan an 
additional 1 minute.
  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.
  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Posey).
  Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member from Oklahoma for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Protecting Firefighters From 
Adverse Substances Act. It has been a pleasure to work across the aisle 
on proposals to address the dangers posed by PFAS not just to 
firefighters but also to our environment.
  It has been a pleasure to cosponsor the House companion to this bill 
and support its passage.
  This bill will direct the Department of Homeland Security to provide 
training designed to reduce and eliminate exposure to PFAS from 
firefighting foam and personal protective equipment, to prevent PFAS 
from firefighting foam from being released into the environment, and to 
give firefighters and other emergency responders information on 
alternatives that do not contain PFAS.
  This bill is another step we are taking together in a bipartisan 
spirit to address the consequences that we have learned far too late.
  The firefighters' motto is ``Be Ready,'' and this bill helps better 
prepare our firefighters.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this 
important legislation.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan 
for managing and her leadership and the gentleman from Oklahoma for his 
leadership.

  As a member of the Homeland Security Committee that has dealt with 
PFAS over the years, I am extremely grateful for this legislation that 
has come from the Senate and particularly grateful because I use as a 
backdrop having been on the Homeland Security Committee since its 
origins, on 9/11, when firefighters rushed in to save lives. Some, of 
course, tragically lost their lives along with other law enforcement as 
they were attempting to save people from the burning buildings.
  But we do know that their long journey that was taken in order to get 
coverage and compensation for the terrible exposures that they had in 
the chemicals in the aftermath of 9/11.
  This brings to mind the importance of this legislation having dealt 
with PFAS in many different forms, particularly in the agriculture 
arena, the Homeland Security Committee has looked at these chemicals 
and how they can be made safe, if you will, in the midst of the 
utilization that they have.
  This legislation is extremely important because it works to develop 
guidance to firefighters and other emergency response personnel on 
training, education, and best practices to protect them from exposure 
from PFAS, these chemicals that they are bound to engage when they rush 
in to save lives and to save property from the terrors of fire.
  I am excited about this legislation and hope that it gets to the 
President's desk because I have seen what chemicals can do in the midst 
of a 9/11 but also in the midst of an ordinary house fire or business 
fire.
  I applaud the proponents of this bill. I am excited about it reducing 
and eliminating exposure to PFAS from firefighter foam, personal 
protective equipment, PPE, prevent the release of the PFAS from 
firefighting foam into the environment so that it provides for an 
environmentally safe pathway, and educating firefighters and other 
emergency response personnel on the foams and non-foam alternative.

                              {time}  1515

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman and continue to 
say that I think what we have here is an important directive for the 
Department of Homeland Security. Under their jurisdiction are the first 
responders, and we clearly know the wide range of needs that 
firefighters face. Look at the West and the series of wildfires that 
have spread from California to the far Northwest. Fires are never-
ending; chemical exposures are never-ending; and firefighters never 
stop going into places where people are desperate or there is a need.
  Mr. Speaker, I am excited about this legislation because it is long 
overdue. I hope it gets to the President's desk as quickly as possible. 
I believe that once we pass this, we will give a new lifeline to the 
Nation's firefighters. As a member of the Fire Caucus, I know that this 
is a bill long overdue.
  Mr. Speaker, as I conclude my remarks celebrating the firefighters 
and supporting this legislation, let me say: Go USA against Iran.
  Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland 
Security, I rise in strong support of S. 231, the Protecting 
Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act.
  Known as PFAS, for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the chemicals 
in this class of approximately 5,000 substances have become notorious 
for their danger to human health.
  Because the chemical bonds that hold the compounds together don't 
break down easily, they last a very long time. This has led to a 
commonly used name for the group: ``Forever chemicals.''
  According to monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency, 
millions of Americans are easily exposed to unsafe levels of PFAS 
through outlets as simple as drinking water.
  PFAS chemicals have been associated with several health problems, 
including testicular and kidney cancers, reduced immunity, thyroid 
problems, and reproductive harms.
  Our first responders are at the front lines of PFAS exposure. 
Firefighters have been shown to have a 14% higher risk of dying from 
cancer than the general U.S. population does.
  This is a result of direct exposure to PFAS chemicals in firefighting 
foam and personal protective equipment.
  It is time we do something to protect the brave men and women who, 
even in the face of danger, continue to put themselves at risk for our 
safety and protection.
  Mr. Speaker, it is urgent that this Congress enact this legislation 
because agencies such as the Environmental Protection Administration 
have failed to address known threats presented by PFAS chemicals.
  The EPA has known about the risks from PFAS chemicals for decades but 
failed to act to prevent the spread of this contamination.
  Because of such negligence, the persistent and toxic effects of PFAS 
linger and firefighters are now forced to work around these ``forever 
chemicals.''

[[Page H8612]]

  With S. 231, the Department of Homeland Security will be required to 
develop guidance for firefighters and other emergency response 
personnel on training and education programs to protect them from 
exposure to PFAS.
  This curriculum would not only educate firefighters on how to protect 
themselves, but also educate them on how to prevent the release of PFAS 
into the environment.
  Clear and swift action from Congress is needed to address the PFAS 
crisis, and we need an all-hands-on-deck effort to protect both the 
health of our first responders and our environment.
  Backing our first responders should be a non-partisan issue, so I 
urge my colleagues to join me in voting for S. 231, the Protecting 
Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, firefighters and emergency response personnel put 
themselves in harm's way daily with no questions asked. They do this to 
save lives and protect their communities. Therefore, it is only fitting 
that Congress does what we can to protect their lives in return.
  The bill we are considering today, the PFAS Act, arms our first 
responders with knowledge and procedures to avoid long-term health 
effects from harmful chemicals.
  This bill is also an example of strong bipartisan collaboration, with 
all the discussion and refinement that entails. My colleague from 
Michigan understood my concerns about not getting ahead of the science 
and banning all PFAS. I understood her desire to take immediate action 
for her constituents. We worked together to both walk away happy with 
the result.
  My sincere thanks to Congresswoman Dingell, the Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee staff, and everyone involved in these discussions.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, we stand here today in strong support of S. 231, the 
PFAS Act, and certainly recognize the leadership that has come from the 
Michigan delegation here in the House with Congresswoman Debbie 
Dingell, who has been steadfast, dedicated, and dogged. You don't 
travel through Michigan without hearing Congresswoman Dingell talk 
about PFAS.
  We also appreciate the Senate leadership of Senator Gary Peters, 
particularly in his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs Committee, in partnership with the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) who just spoke, along with our full 
committee chair, Eddie Bernice Johnson, who has been a real role model 
for leadership and support in this body for bipartisan, collaborative 
legislation.
  As I stand here with the last month of this term upon us in the 117th 
Congress, I can't help but thank Ranking Member Lucas for his very 
dedicated and remarkable leadership. One might say it is an anchor of 
sorts as we move to be bipartisan. Over the course of this term, I have 
had the privilege of sitting next to him in committee, and I will take 
the time to let him know that he has taught me a few things this term, 
which I greatly appreciate.
  As we move forward, Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle in this Chamber to continue to showcase the 
best of what America can be, coming together to solve problems and 
deliver for the American people.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
S. 231, the Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act or the 
PFAS Act.
  PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that have been manufactured 
since the 1940's and can be found in a wide range of both consumer and 
industrial products, including firefighting foam and firefighter 
turnout gear. These chemicals are sometimes known as ``forever 
chemicals'' due to their widespread use, persistence in the 
environment, and a molecular structure that makes them very difficult 
to break down. There is growing evidence that PFAS are linked to 
adverse health outcomes including liver damage, thyroid disease, and an 
increased risk of cancer.
  While we still have much to learn about the health risks associated 
with prolonged exposure to PFAS, work is underway to better understand 
the exposure pathways of PFAS and to develop alternatives to these 
chemicals. The Department of Defense, the National Institutes of 
Standards and Technology, and the Federal Aviation Administration all 
conduct research on PFAS-free firefighting foam or PFAS-free fighter 
gear.
  This promising work is vital to reducing the release of and exposure 
to PFAS but more progress is needed. Until PFAS-free alternatives are 
widespread, we must do everything we can to protect those who are 
exposed to PFAS in the course of their job and to limit the release of 
PFAS into the environment. S. 231 directs 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 as well provide resources that 
identify PFAS-free alternatives for firefighting gear and equipment. 
This guidance would be developed in consultation with other federal 
agencies conducting research on PFAS-alternatives as well as a wide 
range of stakeholders including firefighting and emergency response 
personnel, communities dealing with PFAS contamination, fire training 
academies, manufacturers of firefighting tools and equipment, and 
voluntary standards organizations.
  This bill is an important step to protecting our first responders 
from exposure to harmful chemicals. It has already passed the Senate 
with bipartisan support and today I urge my colleagues to join me in 
passing the bill here in the House and sending it to the President.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 231.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________