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Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on NDAA PFAS Provisions

December 5, 2019

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, released the following statement regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act:

"PFAS chemicals are harmful to human health and have affected communities across the country, including in my district. These dangerous chemicals present a danger to our service members and American families, and we must get serious about this growing public health threat.

"Earlier this year, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which included provisions to quickly phase out the use of PFAS, enact strong clean-up provisions for these chemicals, and require a drinking water standard to protect public health. Democrats have repeatedly pushed to include these strong PFAS provisions in the final version of the bill. But unfortunately, Senate Republicans are still refusing to include any meaningful provisions in the bill to address PFAS chemicals. In failing to clean-up PFAS in our drinking water, Senate Republicans are siding with corporate polluters over the health and well-being of American service members and American families.

"I am very disappointed that Senate Republicans are blocking meaningful bipartisan legislation to regulate and clean-up PFAS chemicals. The Defense Department and the Trump Administration's EPA have failed to act with an urgency that matches the scale of this public health crisis. If Congress fails to act now on PFAS, service members and the American people may have to wait years for this administration to act."

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