[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 25, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3529-S3530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1016. Mr. ROUNDS (for himself and Mr. Durbin) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 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 appropriate place in subtitle G of title X, insert 
     the following:

     SEC. 10___. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CENTERS OF 
                   EXCELLENCE FOR ASSESSING PERFLUOROALKYL AND 
                   POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES IN WATER SOURCES AND 
                   PERFLUOROALKYL AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCE 
                   REMEDIATION SOLUTIONS.

       (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to dedicate 
     resources to advancing, and expanding access to, 
     perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance detection and 
     remediation science, research, and technologies through 
     Centers of Excellence for Assessing Perfluoroalkyl and 
     Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Sources and 
     Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Remediation 
     Solutions.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
       (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the congressional defense committees (as defined in 
     section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code);
       (B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works, the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the Committee 
     on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
       (C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on 
     Natural Resources, the Committee on Science, Space, and 
     Technology, and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (3) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Center of 
     Excellence for Assessing Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl 
     Substances in Water Sources and Perfluoroalkyl and 
     Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Remediation Solutions established 
     under subsection (c)(1)(A).
       (4) Centers.--The term ``Centers'' means--
       (A) the Center; and
       (B) the Rural Center.
       (5) Eligible research university.--The term ``eligible 
     research university'' means an institution of higher 
     education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) that--
       (A) has annual research expenditures of not less than 
     $750,000,000; and
       (B) is located near a population center of not fewer than 
     5,000,000 individuals.
       (6) Eligible rural university.--The term ``eligible rural 
     university'' means an institution of higher education that--
       (A) is located in a State described in section 
     1703(d)(1)(C)(iii)(I) of title 38, United States Code; and
       (B) is a member of the National Security Innovation Network 
     in the Rocky Mountain Region.
       (7) EPA method 533.--The term ``EPA Method 533'' means the 
     method described in the document of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency entitled ``Method 533: Determination of 
     Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Drinking Water by 
     Isotope Dilution Anion Exchange Solid Phase Extraction and 
     Liquid Chromatography/Tandem mass Spectrometry'' (or a 
     successor document).
       (8) EPA method 537.1.--The term ``EPA Method 537.1'' means 
     the method described in the document of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency entitled ``Determination of Selected Per- 
     and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances in Drinking Water by 
     Solid Phase Extraction and Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass 
     Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)'' (or a successor document).
       (9) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
     has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
       (10) Rural center.--The term ``Rural Center'' means the 
     Rural Center of Excellence for Assessing Perfluoroalkyl and 
     Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Sources and 
     Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Remediation 
     Solutions established under subsection (c)(1)(B).
       (c) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator shall--
       (A)(i) select from among the applications submitted under 
     paragraph (2)(A) an eligible research university and a 
     National Laboratory applying jointly for the establishment of 
     a center, to be known as the ``Center of Excellence for 
     Assessing Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in 
     Water Sources and Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl 
     Substance Remediation Solutions'', which shall be a bi-
     institutional collaboration between the eligible research 
     university and National Laboratory co-applicants; and
       (ii) guide and assist the eligible research university and 
     National Laboratory in the establishment of that center; and
       (B)(i) select from among the applications submitted under 
     paragraph (2)(B) an eligible rural university for the 
     establishment of an additional center, to be known as the 
     ``Rural Center of Excellence for Assessing Perfluoroalkyl and 
     Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Sources and 
     Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Remediation 
     Solutions''; and
       (ii) guide and assist the eligible rural university in the 
     establishment of that center.
       (2) Applications.--
       (A) Center.--
       (i) In general.--An eligible research university and 
     National Laboratory desiring to establish the Center shall 
     jointly submit to the Administrator an application at such 
     time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
     Administrator may require.
       (ii) Criteria.--In evaluating applications submitted under 
     clause (i), the Administrator shall only consider 
     applications that--

       (I) include evidence of an existing partnership between the 
     co-applicants that is dedicated to supporting and expanding 
     shared scientific goals with a clear pathway to collaborating 
     on furthering science and research relating to perfluoroalkyl 
     and polyfluoroalkyl substances;
       (II) demonstrate a history of collaboration between the co-
     applicants on the advancement of shared research 
     capabilities, including instrumentation and research 
     infrastructure relating to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances;
       (III) indicate that the co-applicants have the capacity to 
     expand education and research opportunities for undergraduate 
     and graduate students to prepare a generation of experts in 
     sciences relating to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances;
       (IV) demonstrate that the National Laboratory co-applicant 
     is equipped to scale up newly discovered materials and 
     methods for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance 
     detection and perfluoroalkyl and

[[Page S3530]]

     polyfluoroalkyl substance removal processes for low-risk, 
     cost-effective, and validated commercialization; and
       (V) identify 1 or more staff members of the eligible 
     research university co-applicant and 1 or more staff members 
     of the National Laboratory co-applicant who--

       (aa) have expertise in sciences relevant to perfluoroalkyl 
     or polyfluoroalkyl substance detection and remediation; and
       (bb) have been jointly selected, and will be jointly 
     appointed, by the co-applicants to lead, and carry out the 
     purposes of, the Center.
       (B) Rural center.--An eligible rural university desiring to 
     establish the Rural Center shall submit to the Administrator 
     an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
     such information as the Administrator may require.
       (3) Timing.--
       (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the Centers 
     shall be established not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act.
       (B) Delay.--If the Administrator determines that a delay in 
     the establishment of 1 or more of the Centers is necessary, 
     the Administrator--
       (i) not later than the date described in subparagraph (A), 
     shall submit a notification to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress explaining the necessity of the delay; and
       (ii) shall ensure that the 1 or more Centers for which a 
     delay is necessary are established not later than 3 years 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (4) Requirement.--The Administrator shall carry out 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1)--
       (A) in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, as the 
     Administrator determines to be appropriate; and
       (B) in consultation with the Strategic Environmental 
     Research and Development Program and the Environmental 
     Security Technology Certification Program of the Department 
     of Defense.
       (d) Duties and Capabilities of the Centers.--
       (1) In general.--The Centers shall develop and maintain--
       (A) capabilities for measuring, using methods certified by 
     the Environmental Protection Agency, perfluoroalkyl and 
     polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination in drinking water, 
     ground water, and any other relevant environmental, 
     municipal, industrial, or residential water samples; and
       (B) capabilities for--
       (i) evaluating emerging perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl 
     substance removal and destruction technologies and methods; 
     and
       (ii) benchmarking those technologies and methods relative 
     to existing technologies and methods.
       (2) Requirements.--
       (A) In general.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the Centers 
     shall, at a minimum--
       (i) develop instruments and personnel capable of analyzing 
     perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination in 
     water using EPA method 533, EPA method 537.1, any future 
     method or updated method, or any other relevant method for 
     detecting perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in 
     water;
       (ii) develop and maintain capabilities for evaluating the 
     removal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances from 
     water using newly developed adsorbents or membranes;
       (iii) develop and maintain capabilities to evaluate the 
     degradation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances 
     in water or other media;
       (iv) make the capabilities and instruments developed under 
     clauses (i) through (iii) available to researchers throughout 
     the regions in which the Centers are located; and
       (v) make reliable perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl 
     substance measurement capabilities and instruments available 
     to municipalities and individuals in the region in which the 
     Centers are located at reasonable cost.
       (B) Open-access research.--The Centers shall provide open 
     access to the research findings of the Centers.
       (e) Coordination With Other Federal Agencies.--The 
     Administrator may, as the Administrator determines to be 
     necessary, use staff and other resources from other Federal 
     agencies in carrying out this section.
       (f) Reports.--
       (1) Report on establishment of center.--With respect to 
     each of the Center and the Rural Center, not later than 1 
     year after the date on which the center is established under 
     subsection (c), the Administrator, in coordination with that 
     center, shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress a report describing--
       (A) the establishment of that center; and
       (B) the activities of that center since the date on which 
     that center was established.
       (2) Annual reports.--With respect to each of the Center and 
     the Rural Center, not later than 1 year after the date on 
     which the report under paragraph (1) for that center is 
     submitted, and annually thereafter until the date on which 
     that center is terminated under subsection (g), the 
     Administrator, in coordination with that center, shall submit 
     to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
     describing--
       (A) the activities of that center during the year covered 
     by the report; and
       (B) any policy, research, or funding recommendations 
     relating to the purposes or activities of that center.
       (g) Termination.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Centers 
     shall terminate on October 1, 2033.
       (2) Extension.--If the Administrator, in consultation with 
     the Centers, determines that the continued operation of 1 or 
     more of the Centers beyond the date described in paragraph 
     (1) is necessary to advance science and technologies to 
     address perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance 
     contamination--
       (A) the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress--
       (i) a notification of that determination; and
       (ii) a description of the funding necessary for the 
     applicable 1 or more Centers to continue in operation and 
     fulfill their purpose; and
       (B) subject to the availability of funds, may extend the 
     duration of the applicable 1 or more Centers for such time as 
     the Administrator determines to be appropriate.
       (h) Funding.--
       (1) In general.--Of the amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 
     2024 by this Act, $25,000,000 shall be made available to the 
     Administrator to carry out this section, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2033.
       (2) Administrative costs.--Not more than 4 percent of the 
     amounts made available to the Administrator under paragraph 
     (1) shall be used by the Administrator for the administrative 
     costs of carrying out this section.
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