Guaranteeing Equipment Safety for Firefighters Act of 2020

Guaranteeing Equipment Safety for Firefighters Act of 2020

This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to study and report on the contents and composition of certain firefighting equipment.

Such study shall examine perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, in new and unused personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by firefighters. PFAS are man-made substances that may have adverse human health effects, and which are contained in a variety of PPE. Specifically NIST must study (1) the identity, prevalence, and concentration of PFAS in such PPE; (2) the conditions and extent to which PFAS are released into the environment from the degradation of such PPE from normal use by firefighters; and (3) the relative risk of exposure to PFAS faced by firefighters.

NIST shall issue a solicitation for research proposals to carry out recommendations from its report and award grants to applicants that submit proposals to develop safe alternatives to PFAS in firefighters' PPE.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7560 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7560

  To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology to conduct a study of personal protective equipment worn by 
firefighters to determine the prevalence and concentration of per- and 
          polyfluoroalkyl substances, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2020

  Mr. Perlmutter (for himself and Mr. Posey) introduced the following 
   bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                               Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology to conduct a study of personal protective equipment worn by 
firefighters to determine the prevalence and concentration of per- and 
          polyfluoroalkyl substances, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Guaranteeing Equipment Safety for 
Firefighters Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY STUDY ON PER- 
              AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES IN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE 
              EQUIPMENT WORN BY FIREFIGHTERS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology shall, in consultation with the Director of 
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, complete a 
study of the contents and composition of new and unused personal 
protective equipment worn by firefighters.
    (b) Contents of Study.--In carrying out the study required by 
subsection (a), the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology shall examine--
            (1) the identity, prevalence, and concentration of per- and 
        polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly known as ``PFAS'') in the 
        personal protective equipment worn by firefighters;
            (2) the conditions and extent to which per- and 
        polyfluoroalkyl substances are released into the environment 
        over time from the degradation of personal protective equipment 
        from normal use by firefighters; and
            (3) the relative risk of exposure to per- and 
        polyfluoroalkyl substances faced by firefighters from--
                    (A) their use of personal protective equipment; and
                    (B) degradation of personal protective equipment 
                from normal use by firefighters.
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) Progress reports.--Not less frequently than once each 
        year for the duration of the study conducted under subsection 
        (a), the Director shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        progress of the Director in conducting such study.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
        which the Director completes the study required by subsection 
        (a), the Director shall submit to Congress a report 
        describing--
                    (A) the findings of the Director with respect to 
                the study; and
                    (B) recommendations on what additional research or 
                technical improvements to personal protective equipment 
                materials or components should be pursued to avoid 
                unnecessary occupational exposure among firefighters to 
                per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances through personal 
                protective equipment.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Director $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2021 and $2,500,000 for 
        fiscal year 2022.
            (2) Supplement not supplant.--Funds made available to carry 
        out this section shall supplement and not supplant funds made 
        available to the Director for other purposes.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH ON PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES IN PERSONAL 
              PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORN BY FIREFIGHTERS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
submittal of the report required by section 2(c)(2), the Director of 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall--
            (1) issue a solicitation for research proposals to carry 
        out the research recommendations identified in the report 
        submitted under section 2(c); and
            (2) award grants to applicants that submit research 
        proposals to develop safe alternatives to per- and 
        polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective equipment.
    (b) Criteria.--The Director shall select research proposals to 
receive a grant under subsection (a) on the basis of merit, using 
criteria identified by the Director, including the likelihood that the 
research results will address the findings of the Director with respect 
to the study conducted under section 2(a).
    (c) Eligible Entities.--Any entity or group of 2 or more entities 
may submit to the Director a research proposal in response to the 
solicitation for research proposals under subsection (a), including--
            (1) State and local agencies;
            (2) public institutions, including public institutions of 
        higher education;
            (3) private corporations; and
            (4) nonprofit organizations.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Director $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2023, $5,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2024, and $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2025 to carry 
        out this section.
            (2) Supplement not supplant.--Funds made available to carry 
        out this section shall supplement and not supplant funds made 
        available to the Director for other purposes.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY FOR DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS 
              AND TECHNOLOGY TO CONSULT WITH EXPERTS ON MATTERS 
              RELATING TO PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES.

    In carrying out this Act, the Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology may consult with Federal agencies, 
nongovernmental organizations, State and local governments, and science 
and research institutions determined by the Director to have scientific 
or material interest in reducing unnecessary occupational exposure to 
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by firefighters.
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