I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7560 

To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 

to conduct a study of personal protective equipment worn by firefighters 

to determine the prevalence and concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl 

substances, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 9, 2020 

Mr. PERLMUTTER (for himself and Mr. POSEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to conduct a study of personal 

protective equipment worn by firefighters to determine 

the prevalence and concentration of per- and 

polyfluoroalkyl substances, 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 ‘‘Guaranteeing Equip5 ment Safety for Firefighters Act of 2020’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECH2 NOLOGY STUDY ON PER- AND 

3 POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES IN PER4 SONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORN BY 

5 FIREFIGHTERS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 

7 date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na8 tional Institute of Standards and Technology shall, in con9 sultation with the Director of the National Institute for 

10 Occupational Safety and Health, complete a study of the 

11 contents and composition of new and unused personal pro12 tective equipment worn by firefighters. 

13 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—In carrying out the study 

14 required by subsection (a), the Director of the National 

15 Institute of Standards and Technology shall examine— 

16 (1) the identity, prevalence, and concentration 

17 of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly 

18 known as ‘‘PFAS’’) in the personal protective equip19 ment worn by firefighters; 

20 (2) the conditions and extent to which per- and 

21 polyfluoroalkyl substances are released into the envi22 ronment over time from the degradation of personal 

23 protective equipment from normal use by fire24 fighters; and 


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1 (3) the relative risk of exposure to per- and 

2 polyfluoroalkyl substances faced by firefighters 

3 from— 

4 (A) their use of personal protective equip5 ment; and 

6 (B) degradation of personal protective 

7 equipment from normal use by firefighters. 

8 (c) REPORTS.— 

9 (1) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not less frequently 

10 than once each year for the duration of the study 

11 conducted under subsection (a), the Director shall 

12 submit to Congress a report on the progress of the 

13 Director in conducting such study. 

14 (2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 

15 after the date on which the Director completes the 

16 study required by subsection (a), the Director shall 

17 submit to Congress a report describing— 

18 (A) the findings of the Director with re19 spect to the study; and 

20 (B) recommendations on what additional 

21 research or technical improvements to personal 

22 protective equipment materials or components 

23 should be pursued to avoid unnecessary occupa24 tional exposure among firefighters to per- and 


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1 polyfluoroalkyl substances through personal 

2 protective equipment. 

3 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 

5 appropriated to the Director $2,500,000 for fiscal 

6 year 2021 and $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2022. 

7 (2) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds 

8 made available to carry out this section shall supple9 ment and not supplant funds made available to the 

10 Director for other purposes. 

11 SEC. 3. RESEARCH ON PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUB12 STANCES IN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIP13 MENT WORN BY FIREFIGHTERS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

15 date of the submittal of the report required by section 

16 2(c)(2), the Director of the National Institute of Stand17 ards and Technology shall— 

18 (1) issue a solicitation for research proposals to 

19 carry out the research recommendations identified in 

20 the report submitted under section 2(c); and 

21 (2) award grants to applicants that submit re22 search proposals to develop safe alternatives to per23 and polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective 

24 equipment. 


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1 (b) CRITERIA.—The Director shall select research 

2 proposals to receive a grant under subsection (a) on the 

3 basis of merit, using criteria identified by the Director, 

4 including the likelihood that the research results will ad5 dress the findings of the Director with respect to the study 

6 conducted under section 2(a). 

7 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Any entity or group of 2 

8 or more entities may submit to the Director a research 

9 proposal in response to the solicitation for research pro10 posals under subsection (a), including— 

11 (1) State and local agencies; 

12 (2) public institutions, including public institu13 tions of higher education; 

14 (3) private corporations; and 

15 (4) nonprofit organizations. 

16 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 

18 appropriated to the Director $5,000,000 for fiscal 

19 year 2023, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, and 

20 $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2025 to carry out this 

21 section. 

22 (2) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds 

23 made available to carry out this section shall supple24 ment and not supplant funds made available to the 

25 Director for other purposes. 


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1 SEC. 4. AUTHORITY FOR DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL IN2 STITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY 

3 TO CONSULT WITH EXPERTS ON MATTERS 

4 RELATING TO PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL 

5 SUBSTANCES. 

6 In carrying out this Act, the Director of the National 

7 Institute of Standards and Technology may consult with 

8 Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, State 

9 and local governments, and science and research institu10 tions determined by the Director to have scientific or ma11 terial interest in reducing unnecessary occupational expo12 sure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by firefighters. 

Æ 


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