I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1976 
To require the Director of the United States Geological Survey to perform 
a nationwide survey of perfluorinated compounds, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 28, 2019 
Mr. KILDEE (for himself, Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Penn-
sylvania, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. DEAN, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. HUFFMAN, 
Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. WELCH, Ms. SLOTKIN, Mrs. LAWRENCE, 
Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. DELGADO, 
Mr. KHANNA, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, and Ms. TLAIB) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To require the Director of the United States Geological Sur-
vey to perform a nationwide survey of perfluorinated 
compounds, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘PFAS Detection Act 
of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the United States Geological Survey. 
(3) PERFLUORINATED COMPOUND.— 
(A) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
term 
‘‘perfluorinated 
compound’’ 
means 
a 
perfluoroalkyl substance or a polyfluoroalkyl 
substance that is manmade with at least 1 fully 
fluorinated carbon atom. 
(B) DEFINITIONS.—In this definition: 
(i) FULLY
FLUORINATED
CARBON 
ATOM.—The term ‘‘fully fluorinated carbon 
atom’’ means a carbon atom on which all 
the hydrogen substituents have been re-
placed by fluorine. 
(ii) 
NON-FLUORINATED
CARBON 
ATOM.—The term ‘‘nonfluorinated carbon 
atom’’ means a carbon atom on which no 
hydrogen substituents have been replaced 
by fluorine. 
(iii) PARTIALLY
FLUORINATED
CAR-
BON
ATOM.—The 
term 
‘‘partially 
fluorinated carbon atom’’ means a carbon 
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atom on which some, but not all, of the hy-
drogen substituents have been replaced by 
fluorine. 
(iv) PERFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCE.— 
The 
term 
‘‘perfluoroalkyl 
substance’’ 
means a manmade chemical of which all of 
the carbon atoms are fully fluorinated car-
bon atoms. 
(v) 
POLYFLUOROALKYL
SUB-
STANCE.—The term ‘‘polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stance’’ means a manmade chemical con-
taining a mix of fully fluorinated carbon 
atoms, partially fluorinated carbon atoms, 
and nonfluorinated carbon atoms. 
SEC. 3. PERFORMANCE STANDARD FOR THE DETECTION 
OF PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish a per-
formance standard for the detection of perfluorinated 
compounds. 
(b) EMPHASIS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In developing the perform-
ance standard under subsection (a), the Director 
shall emphasize the ability to detect as many 
perfluorinated compounds present in the environ-
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ment as possible using analytical methods that are 
as sensitive as is feasible and practicable. 
(2) REQUIREMENT.—In developing the per-
formance standard under subsection (a), the Direc-
tor may— 
(A) develop quality assurance and quality 
control measures to ensure accurate sampling 
and testing; 
(B) develop a training program with re-
spect to the appropriate method of sample col-
lection and analysis of perfluorinated com-
pounds; and 
(C) coordinate as necessary with the Ad-
ministrator to develop methods to detect indi-
vidual and different perfluorinated compounds 
simultaneously. 
SEC. 4. NATIONWIDE SAMPLING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a na-
tionwide sampling to determine the concentration of 
perfluorinated compounds in estuaries, lakes, streams, 
springs, wells, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and soil using the 
performance standard developed under section 3(a). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the sampling 
under subsection (a), the Director shall— 
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(1) first carry out the sampling at sources of 
drinking water near locations with known or sus-
pected releases of perfluorinated compounds; 
(2) when carrying out sampling of sources of 
drinking water under paragraph (1), carry out the 
sampling prior to any treatment of the water; 
(3) 
survey 
for 
ecological 
exposure 
to 
perfluorinated compounds, with a priority in deter-
mining direct human exposure through drinking 
water; and 
(4) consult with— 
(A) States to determine areas that are a 
priority for sampling; and 
(B) the Administrator— 
(i) to enhance coverage of the sam-
pling; and 
(ii) to avoid unnecessary duplication. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the com-
pletion of the sampling under subsection (a), the Director 
shall prepare a report describing the results of the sam-
pling and submit the report to— 
(1) the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate; 
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SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Direc-
tor to carry out this Act— 
(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; and 
(2) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2024. 
Æ 
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