I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5259 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to include in periodic health assessments 
of members of the Armed Forces an evaluation of whether the member 
has been exposed to perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stances, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 22, 2023 
Ms. SLOTKIN (for herself, Mr. POSEY, and Mr. TURNER) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to include in periodic 
health assessments of members of the Armed Forces 
an evaluation of whether the member has been exposed 
to perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stances, 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 Exposure As-
sessment and Documentation Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF EXPOSURE TO PERFLUOROALKYL 
AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES AS 
PART OF PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENTS. 
(a) PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall ensure that any periodic health as-
sessment provided to a member of the Armed Forces in-
cludes an evaluation of whether the member has been— 
(1) based or stationed at a military installation 
identified by the Department of Defense as a loca-
tion with a known or suspected release of 
perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stances during the period in which the member was 
based or stationed at the military installation; or 
(2) exposed to such substances, including by 
evaluating any information in the health record of 
the member. 
(b) SEPARATION HISTORY AND PHYSICAL EXAMINA-
TIONS.—Section 1145(a)(5) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that each 
physical examination of a member under subparagraph 
(A) includes an assessment of whether the member was— 
‘‘(i) based or stationed at a military installation 
identified by the Department as a location with a 
known or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl sub-
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stances or polyfluoroalkyl substances during the pe-
riod in which the member was based or stationed at 
the military installation; or 
‘‘(ii) exposed to such substances, including by 
assessing any information in the health record of the 
member.’’. 
(c) 
DEPLOYMENT
ASSESSMENTS.—Section 
1074f(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) An assessment of whether the member 
was— 
‘‘(i) based or stationed at a military instal-
lation identified by the Department as a loca-
tion with a known or suspected release of 
perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stances during the period in which the member 
was based or stationed at the military installa-
tion; or 
‘‘(ii) exposed to such substances, including 
by assessing any information in the health 
record of the member.’’. 
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SEC. 3. PROVISION OF BLOOD TESTING FOR MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES, FORMER MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES, AND THEIR FAMILIES 
TO 
DETERMINE 
EXPOSURE 
TO 
PERFLUOROALKYL 
SUBSTANCES 
OR 
POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES. 
(a) MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If a covered evaluation of a 
member of the Armed Forces results in a positive 
determination of potential exposure to perfluoroalkyl 
substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall provide to that member, dur-
ing that covered evaluation, blood testing to deter-
mine and document potential exposure to such sub-
stances. 
(2) INCLUSION IN HEALTH RECORD.—The re-
sults of blood testing of a member of the Armed 
Forces conducted under paragraph (1) shall be in-
cluded in the health record of the member. 
(b) FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND 
FAMILY MEMBERS.—The Secretary shall pay for blood 
testing to determine and document potential exposure to 
perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances for 
any covered individual, at the election of the individual, 
either through the TRICARE program for individuals oth-
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erwise eligible for such program or through the use of 
vouchers to obtain such testing. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered evaluation’’ means— 
(A) a periodic health assessment conducted 
in accordance with section 2(a); 
(B) a separation history and physical ex-
amination conducted under section 1145(a)(5) 
of title 10, United States Code, as amended by 
section 2(b); and 
(C) a deployment assessment conducted 
under section 1074f(b)(2) of such title, as 
amended by section 2(c). 
(2) The term ‘‘covered individual’’ means a 
former member of the Armed Forces or a family 
member of a member or former member of the 
Armed Forces who lived at a location (or the sur-
rounding area of such a location) identified by the 
Department of Defense as a location with a known 
or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or 
polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in 
which the individual lived at that location (or sur-
rounding area). 
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(3) The term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 1072(7) of title 
10, United States Code. 
SEC. 
4. 
DOCUMENTATION 
OF 
EXPOSURE 
TO 
PERFLUOROALKYL 
SUBSTANCES 
OR 
POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES. 
(a) SHARING OF INFORMATION.—The Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter 
into a memorandum of understanding providing for the 
sharing by the Department of Defense with the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs of the results of covered evalua-
tions regarding the exposure by a member of the Armed 
Forces to perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stances. 
(b) REGISTRY.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall establish a registry of members of the 
Armed Forces who have been exposed to, or are sus-
pected to have been exposed to, perfluoroalkyl sub-
stances or polyfluoroalkyl substances. 
(2) INCLUSION
IN
REGISTRY.—The Secretary 
shall include a member of the Armed Forces in the 
registry established under paragraph (1) if a covered 
evaluation of the member establishes that the mem-
ber— 
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(A) was based or stationed at a location 
identified by the Department of Defense as a 
location with a known or suspected release of 
perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stances during the period in which the member 
was based or stationed at the location; or 
(B) was exposed to such substances. 
(3) BLOOD TESTING.—The results of any blood 
test conducted under section 3(a) shall be included 
in the registry established under paragraph (1) for 
any member of the Armed Forces included in the 
registry. 
(4) ELECTION.—A member of the Armed 
Forces may elect not to be included in the registry 
established under paragraph (1). 
(c) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall provide to a member of the Armed Forces 
more information on perfluoroalkyl substances and 
polyfluoroalkyl substances and the potential impact of ex-
posure to such substances if a covered evaluation of such 
member establishes that the member— 
(1) was based or stationed at a location identi-
fied by the Department of Defense as a location 
with a known or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl 
substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances during the 
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period in which the member was based or stationed 
at the location; or 
(2) was exposed to such substances. 
(d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to preclude eligibility of a veteran 
for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs by reason of the exposure of the vet-
eran to perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl sub-
stances not being recorded in a covered evaluation. 
(e) COVERED EVALUATION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered evaluation’’ means— 
(1) a periodic health assessment conducted in 
accordance with section 2(a); 
(2) a separation history and physical examina-
tion conducted under section 1145(a)(5) of title 10, 
United States Code, as amended by section 2(b); 
and 
(3) a deployment assessment conducted under 
section 1074f(b)(2) of such title, as amended by sec-
tion 2(c). 
Æ 
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