Title: PFAS Free Foam Research and Development Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
PFAS Free Foam Research and Development Act
This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology to award grants and carry out other activities to promote and advance the research and development of alternatives to aqueous film-forming foam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7866 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``PFAS Free Foam Research and 
Development Act''.

SEC. 2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE TO AQUEOUS FILM-FORMING 
              FOAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology and in consultation with 
appropriate stakeholders and manufacturers, research institutions, and 
other Federal agencies, shall award grants and carry out other 
activities to--
            (1) promote and advance the research and development of 
        additional alternatives to aqueous film-forming foam (in this 
        section referred to as ``AFFF'') containing per- and 
        polyfluoroalkyl substances (in this section referred to as 
        ``PFAS'') to facilitate the development of a military 
        specification and subsequent fielding of a PFAS-free fire-
        fighting foam;
            (2) advance the use of green and sustainable chemistry for 
        a fluorine-free alternative to AFFF;
            (3) increase opportunities for sharing best practices 
        within the research and development sector with respect to 
        AFFF;
            (4) assist in the testing of potential alternatives to 
        AFFF; and
            (5) provide guidelines on priorities with respect to an 
        alternative to AFFF.
    (b) Additional Requirements.--In carrying out the program required 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
            (1) take into consideration the different uses of AFFF and 
        the priorities of the Department of Defense in finding an 
        alternative;
            (2) prioritize green and sustainable chemicals that do not 
        pose a threat to public health or the environment; and
            (3) use and leverage research from existing Department of 
        Defense programs.
    (c) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on--
            (1) the priorities and actions taken with respect to 
        finding an alternative to AFFF and the implementation of such 
        priorities; and
            (2) any alternatives the Secretary has denied, and the 
        reason for any such denial.
    (d) Use of Funds.--This section shall be carried out using amounts 
authorized to be available for the Strategic Environmental Research and 
Development Program.
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