Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act
This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to complete various studies and reports related to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing.
Specifically, the bill requires the EPA to enter into an agreement with NASEM to (1) study and report on research and knowledge gaps identified by the Federal Government Human Health PFAS Research Workshop (October 26 and 27, 2020); and (2) identify research and development needed to identify, categorize, evaluate, and address individual or total PFAS. Additionally, the EPA and other relevant federal agencies must enter into an agreement with NASEM to submit a study and report to better understand the research and development needed to better understand the extent and implications of human and environmental contamination by PFAS and any management and treatment options.
After NASEM submits the required reports, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy must submit an implementation plan to Congress for increased collaboration and coordination of federal PFAS research, development, and demonstration activities.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7289 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7289
To provide for the National Academies to study and report on a Federal
research agenda to advance the understanding of PFAS, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 30, 2022
Mrs. Fletcher (for herself and Mr. Meijer) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the National Academies to study and report on a Federal
research agenda to advance the understanding of PFAS, 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 ``Federal PFAS Research Evaluation
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
are a group of man-made chemicals that have been used in a wide
range of products since the 1940s including firefighting foam,
carpeting, packaging, and cookware. There are more than 5,000
types of registered PFAS compounds. This chemical class is not
currently regulated at the Federal level.
(2) PFAS have been detected in air, water, soil, food,
biosolids, and more. They accumulate and remain in the body for
a long time, and can lead to serious health effects including
cancer, low infant birthweight, liver and kidney issues,
reproductive and developmental problems, and more.
(3) There remains much unknown about PFAS toxicity, human
and environmental health effects, exposure pathways, as well as
effective removal, treatment, and destruction methods, and safe
alternatives to PFAS.
(4) There is currently no cohesive, interagency effort to
address PFAS, and no Federal agency is focused on a
multidisciplinary, cross-sector approach. Rather, there are
fragmented efforts at various agencies that have failed to
address the full scope of challenges presented by PFAS.
(5) Regulatory action and cleanup depend on scientific
analysis of toxicity data, decision making on how best to deal
with the thousands of PFAS, and understanding the significance
of the many exposure pathways that exist. A consensus study by
the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
would help inform decisions by Federal and State Governments,
industry, and other stakeholders on how to best address PFAS.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL ACADEMIES REPORTS.
(a) Research Assessments of PFAS Exposure and Toxicity.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, in consultation with the Director of the
National Science Foundation, the Secretary of Defense, the
Director of the National Institutes of Health, and other
Federal agencies with expertise relevant to understanding PFAS
exposure and toxicity, shall enter into an agreement with the
National Academies to conduct a two-phase study and submit
reports in accordance with this subsection to identify research
and development needed to advance human exposure estimation and
toxicity and hazard estimation of individual or total PFAS.
(2) Phase i study and report on human exposure
estimation.--
(A) In general.--The phase I study required to be
conducted under paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum--
(i) consider life-cycle information on the
manufacture, use, and disposal of PFAS-
containing products to identify exposure
sources and potential exposure pathways for the
public;
(ii) evaluate the fate and transport of
PFAS and their breakdown products;
(iii) if feasible, estimate exposure to
individual or total PFAS to determine relative
source contributions for various exposure
pathways (such as air, water, soil, or food);
(iv) determine environmentally relevant
PFAS; and
(v) identify research needed to advance
exposure estimation to individual or total
PFAS.
(B) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date
on which the agreement described in paragraph (1) is
finalized, the National Academies shall submit to
Congress a report containing the findings and
recommendations of the study described in subparagraph
(A) and shall make such report available on a publicly
accessible website.
(3) Phase ii study and report on pfas toxicity and hazard
estimation.--
(A) In general.--The phase II study required to be
conducted under paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum--
(i) review animal and human toxicity
information on the environmentally relevant
PFAS identified in the Phase I report under
paragraph (2) and develop an approach for
conducting a hazard assessment of these PFAS;
(ii) give consideration as to whether
chemical category-based approaches for
assessing toxicity would be appropriate for
evaluating PFAS as a group; and
(iii) identify research needed to advance
toxicity and hazard assessment of individual or
total PFAS.
(B) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date
on which the Phase I report is submitted to Congress
under paragraph (2), the National Academies shall
submit to Congress a report containing the findings and
recommendations of the study described in subparagraph
(A) and shall make such report available on a publicly
accessible website.
(b) Research Assessment of Management and Treatment Alternatives
for PFAS Contamination in the Environment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency and the Director of the National Science
Foundation, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and
other Federal agencies with expertise relevant to the
development of PFAS alternatives and the management and
treatment of PFAS, shall jointly enter into an agreement with
the National Academies to conduct a study and submit a report
in accordance with this subsection to better understand the
research and development needed to advance the understanding of
the extent and implications of environmental contamination by
PFAS, how to manage and treat such contamination, and the
development of safe alternatives.
(2) Scope of study.--The study described in paragraph (1)
shall, at a minimum, include the following:
(A) An assessment of the current research on such
issues.
(B) A description of the research gaps relating to
such issues.
(C) Recommendations on how the Federal Government
can address the research needs identified pursuant to
subparagraph (B).
(D) Recommendations on how research can best
incorporate considerations of socioeconomic issues into
the development of research proposals and the conduct
of research.
(3) Report.--Not later than 540 days after the date on
which the agreement described in paragraph (1) is finalized,
the National Academies shall submit to Congress a report
containing the findings and recommendations of the study
described in paragraph (2) and shall make such report available
on a publicly accessible website.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
(1) to the Administrator of Environmental Protection
Agency, $3,000,000; and
(2) to the Director of the National Science Foundation,
$1,000,000.
SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
Not later than 180 days after submission to Congress of latest of
the National Academies reports under section 3, the Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy, in coordination with all
relevant Federal agencies, shall submit to Congress an implementation
plan for Federal PFAS research, development, and demonstration
activities. In preparing such an implementation plan, the Director
shall take into consideration the recommendations included in the
reports in section 3.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) National academies.--The term ``National Academies''
means the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine.
(2) PFAS.--The term ``PFAS'' means per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 117-406.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 117-406.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 313.
Mr. Beyer moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7092-7095)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7289.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
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Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7142-7143)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 359 - 62 (Roll no. 389).(text: CR H7092-7093)
Roll Call #389 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 359 - 62 (Roll no. 389). (text: CR H7092-7093)
Roll Call #389 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.