Boyle Legislation to Set National PFAS Standard Passes the House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) announced that his legislation, the Protect Drinking Water from PFAS Act of 2019, was included in a package of bills that successfully passed the House of Representatives today. The package, titled the PFAS Action Act of 2019 (H.R. 535), creates meaningful regulations for the first time to protect American families from harmful contaminants.

"No family should have to worry about their drinking water," said Congressman Boyle. "This package, which includes my bill to implement enforceable regulations on PFAS, is long overdue. I now urge the Senate to quickly vote on this bill. It's time we rectify this ongoing crisis that has plagued families in my community and across the nation."

Congressman Boyle's legislation makes up section 5 of H.R. 535. Specifically, his bill would ensure the adoption of a drinking water standard under the Safe Drinking Water Act for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that protects the health of vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, infants, and children. This effort was the product of discussions with federal officials in direct response to the water contamination issues experienced by communities surrounding the former Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster, former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, and Horsham Air Guard Station in Pennsylvania. He has introduced similar bipartisan legislation since the 114th Congress.

Congressman Boyle is a founding member of the Congressional PFAS Task Force. He has secured over $160 million in government funding for cleaning up, studying, and preventing future PFAS contamination. Moreover, he led a bipartisan letter calling for the release of the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) study indicating these chemicals are more dangerous the human health than previously understood. The study was initially withheld by the Trump Administration for fear of negative publicity.

H.R. 535, the Protect PFAS Action Act of 2019, will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.

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