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PFAS Act

Public Law 117-248 · S. 231 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 20, 2022 · Emergency Management

Sponsor: Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)

Cosponsors (8): Sen. Dan Sullivan,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 400 yea, 22 nay400–22
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act or the PFAS Act

This act requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop guidance for firefighters and other emergency response personnel on training, education programs, and best practices to protect them from exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFASs, from firefighting foam and to prevent the release of PFASs into the environment. These substances are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing.

DHS shall make available a curriculum designed to

• reduce and eliminate exposure to PFAS from firefighting foam and personal protective equipment (PPE);

• prevent the release of PFAS from firefighting foam into the environment; and

• educate firefighters and other emergency response personnel on foams and non-foam alternatives, PPE, and other firefighting tools and equipment that do not contain PFAS.

The U.S. Fire Administration shall make recommendations to DHS as to the content of the curriculum.

DHS must create an online public repository on tools and best practices to reduce, limit, and prevent the release of and exposure to PFASs.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 400 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

400 yea22 nay9 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(214)

Republicans who voted yea(186)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 945 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.

  1. Dec 20, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-248.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 16, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 1, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 400 - 22 (Roll no. 498).House roll call 498
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. Nov 29, 2022FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 231.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Ms. Stevens moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Jul 30, 2021FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  12. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  13. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  14. Jul 29, 2021FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  15. FloorFloor · The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
  16. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  17. May 10, 2021CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 55.
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-21.
  19. Mar 17, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  20. Feb 4, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 2125SenateSen. Gary PetersD-MI· offered Jul 29, 2021Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Jul 29, 2021: Amendment SA 2125 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.