December 1, 2022

The Honorable Jack Reed
Chair
Senate Armed Services Committee
Russell Senate Building, Room 228
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Adam SmithChair
House Armed Services Committee
2216 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable James Inhofe
Ranking Member
Senate Armed Services Committee
Russell Senate Building, Room 228
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Mike Rogers
Ranking Member
House Armed Services Committee
2216 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chair Reed, Chair Smith, Ranking Member Inhofe, and Ranking Member Rogers:
The undersigned members of the United States Congress and the Japanese Diet are
writing to express our concern about the grave consequences of the use of per-and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on U.S. military bases in the United States and abroad. The
long-term use of these substances created serious, ongoing, and difficult-to-remediate
environmental damage that endangers the lives of individuals exposed to them.
The language related to PFAS in the current versions of the House and Senate National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which should apply to U.S. military bases in both theUnited States and abroad, including Japan, is an important expression of the will of the UnitedStates government to recognize the harm PFAS substances have caused and to take appropriate
steps to address the problem. They include prohibitions on incinerating PFAS waste, restrictions
on the procurement of PFAS-containing equipment, reporting requirements for suspected PFAS
contamination outside the military, and extended studies on the health impacts of PFAS
contamination. We are writing to express our support for that language and to urge you to makesure it is included in final passage.
PFAS substances were used on U.S. military bases at home and abroad, including Japan,for decades. Once these substances enter the surrounding environment, they are absorbed in thewater, soil, plants, and wildlife in the areas adjacent to the bases. PFAS substances accumulate in
the tissues of human beings who come into contact with contaminated water and soils andconsume contaminated wildlife. Some PFAS substances are known carcinogens that cause manydifferent types of cancer. Individuals and families living on the periphery of U.S. military bases
both at home and abroad have long endured dangerous exposure to the U.S. military’s decadeslong use of PFAS substances.

It is important to make every effort to avoid creating or perpetuating known internal
threats to the health, happiness, and lives of the citizens it is our duty to defend. We cannot, ingood conscience, knowingly sacrifice our most vulnerable citizens if there are protective
measures, like those included in the relevant sections of the House and Senate versions of theNDAA, that we can take to prevent it.
The PFAS substance measures in the current drafts of this bill are a welcome sign that
we, as elected representatives, understand and accept the urgency of the problem of PFAS
contamination. We urge you to demonstrate you do as well by making sure these measures are
retained in final passage.
Sincerely,⽶「国防権限法案」の PFAS 規制条項を⽀持する⽇⽶プログレッシブ議員連盟共同書簡

ジャック・リード上院軍事委員会委員⻑殿

アダム・スミス下院軍事委員会委員⻑殿
ジェームズ・インホフ上院軍事委員会筆頭理事殿

マイク・ロジャース下院軍事委員会筆頭理事殿

私たちは、在⽶・在外⽶軍基地における化学物質 PFAS（パーフルオロアルキル化合物およびポリフルオロアルキル化合物）の使⽤がもたらす重⼤な被害について、強い懸念をもつ⽶国の連邦議会議員および⽇本の国会議員です。PFAS の⻑期的な使⽤は、深刻で継続的かつ修復困難な環境汚染を⽣み出し、それによって⼈々の命は危険にさらされてきました。
現在審議中の国防権限法（NDAA・2023 予算年度）の上下両院の現在の法案に含まれているPF
AS 関連の条項は、⽶国内および⽇本を含む在外の⽶軍基地に適⽤されるべきものですが、PFAS がもたらしてきた被害を認識し、この問題に対処するための適切な措置をとるという⽶国政府の意志を⽰す重要なものです。これらの条項には、PFAS 廃棄物の焼却禁⽌、PFAS 含有装備の調達規制、⾮軍事施設におよぶ PFAS 汚染の疑いに関する報告義務、PFAS 汚染による健康被害に関する調査の拡⼤などが含まれています。私たち⽇⽶の国会議員は、この条項への⽀持を表明し、これらの条⽂が含まれたまま国防権限法を成⽴させることを強く要請致します。
PFAS は、⽶国内および⽇本を含む在外⽶軍基地において、数⼗年にわたり使⽤されてきました。ＰＦＡＳが周囲の環境に⼀度広がると、基地に隣接する地域の⽔を汚染し、⼟壌、植物や野⽣⽣物に吸収されます。⼈々が汚染された⽔や⼟壌に触れたり、汚染された動植物を⼝にしたりすることで、ＰＦＡＳは⼈間の体内に蓄積されます。PFAS には、様々な種類の癌の原因となる発癌性物質が含まれていることが判明しています。⽶国内外の⽶軍基地の周辺に住む⼈々は、⽶軍が数⼗年にわたって PFAS を使⽤し続けたことにより、⻑期にわたって危険にさらされ続けてきました。
私たち国会議員は、市⺠を守る⽴場にあります。その悪影響を把握しているのですから、⼈々の健康、幸福、⽣命に対する国内に存在する脅威を⾷い⽌めるために、あらゆる努⼒をしなければなりません。国防権限法の現在の下院案・上院案記載の関連条⽂に含まれているような予防措置など、被害を防ぐための⽅法が存在するにもかかわらず、弱い⽴場に置かれた⼈々の犠牲を知りながら放置することは、良⼼に反します。
国防権限法の現在の法案に含まれている PFAS 対策は、国⺠の代表として選ばれた私たちが、PFAS 汚染問題の切実さを理解していることを⽰すものです。両委員⻑、両筆頭理事におかれましても、問題の切実さをご理解いただき、これらの条項を維持したまま国防権限法が成⽴となるよう、ここに強く求めます。
２０２２年１２⽉１⽇

Debbie Dingell
Member of Congress

衆議院議員 海江⽥ 万⾥
Member of the House of Representatives
BANRI KAIEDA

Eleanor Holmes Norton
Member of Congress

衆議院議員 原⼝ ⼀博
Member of the House of Representatives
KAZUHIRO HARAGUCHI

Andy Levin
Member of Congress

衆議院議員 中川 正春
Member of the House of Representatives
MASAHARU NAKAGAWA

Gwen Moore
Member of Congress

衆議院議員 近藤 昭⼀
Member of the House of Representatives
SHOICHI KONDOVeronica Escobar
Member of Congress

衆議院議員 泉 健太
Member of the House of Representatives
KENTA IZUMI

Sylvia R. Garcia
Member of Congress衆議院議員 逢坂 誠⼆
Member of the House of Representatives
SEIJI OSAKA

Chellie Pingree
Member of Congress

参議院議員 徳永 エリ
Member of the House of Councillors
ERI TOKUNAGA

Deborah K. Ross
Member of Congress

Rashida Tlaib
Member of CongressPramila Jayapal
Member of Congress

Jamie Raskin
Member of Congress

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress/s/
André Carson
Member of Congress

Jan Schakowsky
Member of Congress

参議院議員 吉⽥ 忠智
Member of the House of Councillors
TADATOMO YOSHIDA

衆議院議員 重徳 和彦
Member of the House of Representatives
KAZUHIKO SHIGETOKU

参議員議員 ⽯橋 通宏
Member of the House of Councillors
MICHIHIRO ISHIBASHI

衆議院議員 阿部 知⼦
Member of the House of Representatives
TOMOKO ABE

参議院議員 福島 みずほ
Member of the House of Councillors
MIZUHO FUKUSHIMA

衆議院議員 ⼩熊 慎司
Member of the House of Representatives
SHINJI OGUMA

衆議院議員 源⾺ 謙太郎
Member of the House of Representatives
KENTARO GENMA

参議院議員 森屋 隆
Member of the House of Councillors
TAKASHI MORIYA衆議院議員 荒井 優
Member of the House of Representatives
YUTAKA ARAI衆議院議員 ⼤⽯ あきこ
Member of the House of Representatives
AKIKO OHISHI

衆議院議員 岡本 あき⼦
Member of the House of Representatives
AKIKO OKAMOTO

衆議院議員 ⼩⼭ 展弘
Member of the House of Representatives
NOBUHIRO KOYAMA衆議院議員 斎藤 アレックス
Member of the House of Representatives
ALEX SAITO

衆議院議員 桜井 周
Member of the House of Representatives
SHU SAKURAI衆議院議員 階 猛
Member of the House of Representatives
TAKESHI SHINA衆議院議員 ⽥島 要
Member of the House of Representatives
KANAME TAJIMA衆議院議員 徳永 久志
Member of the House of Representatives
HISASHI TOKUNAGA

衆議院議員 ⻑友 慎治
Member of the House of Representatives
SHINJI NAGATOMO

衆議院議員 道下 ⼤樹
Member of the House of Representatives
DAIKI MICHISHITA

衆議院議員 野間 健
Member of the House of Representatives
TAKESHI NOMA

衆議院議員 福島 伸享Member of the House of Representatives
NOBUYUKI FUKUSHIMA

衆議院議員 森⼭ 浩⾏
Member of the House of Representatives
HIROYUKI MORIYAMA衆議院議員 ⾕⽥川 元
Member of the House of Representatives
HAJIME YATAGAWA

衆議院議員 ⼭岸 ⼀⽣
Member of the House of Representatives
ISSEI YAMAGISHI

衆議院議員 ⼭崎 誠
Member of the House of Representatives
MAKOTO YAMAZAKI

衆議院議員 ⼭⽥ 勝彦
Member of the House of Representatives
KATSUHIKO YAMADA

衆議院議員 吉⽥ はるみ
Member of the House of Representatives
HARUMI YOSHIDA衆議院議員 ⽶⼭ 隆⼀
Member of the House of Representatives
RYUICHI YONEYAMA参議院議員 ⽯垣 のりこ
Member of the House of Councillors
NORIKO ISHIGAKI参議院議員 ⽯川 ⼤我
Member of the House of Councillors
TAIGA ISHIKAWA

参議院議員 伊波 洋⼀
Member of the House of Councillors
YOICHI IHA

参議院議員 打越 さく良
Member of the House of Councillors
SAKURA UCHIKOSHI

参議院議員 杉尾 秀哉
Member of the House of Councillors
HIDEYA SUGIO

参議院議員 ⾼良 鉄美Member of the House of Councillors
TETSUMI TAKARA

参議院議員 芳賀 道也
Member of the House of Councillors
MICHIYA HAGA

参議院議員 ⽔岡 俊⼀
Member of the House of Councillors
SHUNICHI MIZUOKA