Virginia Congresswomen Jennifer McClellan and Jennifer Kiggans led 11 members in sending a letter to House and Senate Armed Services leadership calling on them to include provisions to protect servicemembers from toxic PFAS chemicals.
The lawmakers urged House Armed Services Chair Rogers and Ranking Member Smith and Senate Armed Services Chair Reed and Ranking Member Wicker to include Sec. 319 in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25 NDAA). The provision, derived from McClellan’s and Kiggan’s H.R. 6095, the Department of Defense (DoD) PFAS Discharge Prevention Act, will protect military personnel and American families from PFAS released from DoD facilities.
“Preventing PFAS contamination from leaving DoD facilities in the first place would go a long way towards protecting firefighters, service members, and the drinking water sources for families,” wrote the lawmakers. “Importantly, Sec. 319 would also significantly improve the cost-efficiency of PFAS remediation funding already authorized for DoD by reducing how much PFAS needs to be cleaned up in the future.”
Sec. 319 would help reduce toxic exposure in the near-term by better managing PFAS contamination at DoD installations. The legislation would also require DoD to regularly monitor for PFAS at DoD installations; and facilitate the implementation of base-specific best management practices (BMPs) to limit PFAS-laden stormwater runoff at DoD facilities so that it does not contaminate surrounding drinking water or require cleanup.
“By allowing for base-specific analysis, this bill provides flexibility for each DoD facility to implement the most effective measures for reducing PFAS,” continued the lawmakers. “Preventing PFAS contamination from leaving DoD facilities in the first place would go a long way towards protecting firefighters, service members, and the drinking water sources for families.”
As of 2021, DoD had identified 700 installations across the nation that are likely contaminated with PFAS chemicals. Research has consistently linked exposure to various cancers, reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects and other human health impacts that pose an increasing threat to our service members, military families and the communities they serve.
The letter was signed by U.S. Reps. Deborah Ross, Patrick Ryan, Brian Fitzpatrick, Chris Pappas, Valerie Foushee, Michael Lawler, Nick LaLota, Steve Cohen, Derrick Van Order, Anthony D’Esposito and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott.
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Rebecca Barnabi
