I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7866 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to award grants and carry out other 

activities to develop alternatives to aqueous film-forming foam, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 30, 2020 

Ms. DEAN (for herself, Mr. GALLAGHER, Mr. KIM, Mr. KILDEE, and Ms. 

HOULAHAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Science, 

Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to award grants and 

carry out other activities to develop alternatives to aqueous film-forming foam, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘PFAS Free Foam Re5 search and Development Act’’. 


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•HR 7866 IH

1 SEC. 2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE 

2 TO AQUEOUS FILM-FORMING FOAM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 

4 through the National Institute of Standards and Tech5 nology and in consultation with appropriate stakeholders 

6 and manufacturers, research institutions, and other Fed7 eral agencies, shall award grants and carry out other ac8 tivities to— 

9 (1) promote and advance the research and de10 velopment of additional alternatives to aqueous film11 forming foam (in this section referred to as 

12 ‘‘AFFF’’) containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl sub13 stances (in this section referred to as ‘‘PFAS’’) to 

14 facilitate the development of a military specification 

15 and subsequent fielding of a PFAS-free fire-fighting 

16 foam; 

17 (2) advance the use of green and sustainable 

18 chemistry for a fluorine-free alternative to AFFF; 

19 (3) increase opportunities for sharing best prac20 tices within the research and development sector 

21 with respect to AFFF; 

22 (4) assist in the testing of potential alternatives 

23 to AFFF; and 

24 (5) provide guidelines on priorities with respect 

25 to an alternative to AFFF. 


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•HR 7866 IH

1 (b) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out 

2 the program required under subsection (a), the Secretary 

3 shall— 

4 (1) take into consideration the different uses of 

5 AFFF and the priorities of the Department of De6 fense in finding an alternative; 

7 (2) prioritize green and sustainable chemicals 

8 that do not pose a threat to public health or the en9 vironment; and 

10 (3) use and leverage research from existing De11 partment of Defense programs. 

12 (c) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit to Con13 gress a report on— 

14 (1) the priorities and actions taken with respect 

15 to finding an alternative to AFFF and the imple16 mentation of such priorities; and 

17 (2) any alternatives the Secretary has denied, 

18 and the reason for any such denial. 

19 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—This section shall be carried 

20 out using amounts authorized to be available for the Stra21 tegic Environmental Research and Development Program. 

Æ 


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