[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4829 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4829
To create intergovernmental coordination on addressing perfluoroalkyl
and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 13, 2022
Mr. Peters (for himself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To create intergovernmental coordination on addressing perfluoroalkyl
and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination, 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 Intergovernmental Coordination
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the
House of Representatives.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget.
(3) PFAS.--The term ``PFAS'' means a perfluoroalkyl or
polyfluoroalkyl substance that is man-made and has not fewer
than 1 fully fluorinated carbon atom.
(4) Working group.--The term ``working group'' means the
working group established under section 3(a).
SEC. 3. CREATION OF WORKING GROUP.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish a working group to
facilitate more effective cooperation, coordination, and mutual
accountability among every level of the Federal Government and State,
local, and Tribal governments on a holistic response to PFAS
contamination in communities across the United States.
(b) Termination.--
(1) Termination date.--The working group shall terminate on
the date that is 2 years after the date on which the working
group is established.
(2) Extension.--Based on the recommendation of the working
group described in section 6(a)(2), the Director may extend the
working group beyond the termination date.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS.
(a) Appointment.--The Director shall appoint to the working group
representatives with expertise in PFAS from Federal agencies, State,
local, and Tribal governments and academic research institutions,
including--
(1) not less than 1 representative from--
(A) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(B) the Department of Defense;
(C) the Council on Environmental Quality;
(D) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(E) the Department of Agriculture;
(F) the National Science Foundation;
(G) an institution of higher education engaged in
PFAS contamination research; and
(H) any other relevant entity, as determined by the
Director;
(2) not less than 5 representatives from the Department of
Health and Human Services, including not less than 1
representative from--
(A) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(B) the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry;
(C) the National Institute for Occupation Safety
and Health;
(D) the National Institutes of Health; and
(E) the Food and Drug Administration; and
(3) not less than 15 representatives from a diverse cross-
section of State, local, and Tribal governments, including not
less than 5 representatives from--
(A) State governments;
(B) local governments; and
(C) Tribal governments.
(b) Consultation.--The Director may consult relevant entities in
selecting appointees to the working group.
(c) Chair.--The Director may chair the working group or designate a
chair.
(d) Meetings.--The working group shall convene on a quarterly
basis.
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE WORKING GROUP.
The duties of the working group shall include--
(1) considering the common challenges in addressing PFAS
contamination across every level of the Federal Government and
State, local, and Tribal governments;
(2) facilitating more effective cooperation, coordination,
and mutual accountability among every level of the Federal
Government and State, local, and Tribal governments on a
holistic response to PFAS contamination;
(3) incorporating the diverse perspectives of the working
group to devise ways to--
(A) improve the administration and coordination of
responses to PFAS contamination; and
(B) mitigate future PFAS contamination;
(4) providing steps for more productive intergovernmental
collaboration in the future, including enhanced communication
protocols and recommendations and solutions that would fully
address PFAS contamination across the Federal Government and
State, local, and Tribal governments; and
(5) any other relevant duties as determined by the working
group.
SEC. 6. REPORT.
(a) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report that--
(1) describes any guidelines created in performing the
duties under section 5; and
(2) makes a recommendation with respect to extending the
authorization of the working group.
(b) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the
Director submits the report required under subsection (a), the Director
shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on the
implementation of any guidelines described in subsection (a)(1).
(c) Publishing.--After Congress has been given the opportunity to
review the report described in subsection (a) and has been briefed by
the Director, and not later than 120 days after the date on which the
Director submits such report, the Director shall make the report
publicly available.
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