S. 231 · 117th Congress

PFAS Act

Introduced on Feb 4, 2021 by Gary C. Peters (D-MI). 8 cosponsors, 4 of them from another party. Became Public Law 117-248.

Stage
Became law
Public Law 117-248
Introduced
Feb 4, 2021
Cosponsors
8
4 from the other party
Policy area
Emergency Management
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Sent to the President
  6. Became law

Official title

A bill to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop guidance for firefighters and other emergency response personnel on best practices to protect them from exposure to PFAS and to limit and prevent the release of PFAS into the environment, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Fires
  • First responders and emergency personnel
  • Government information and archives
  • Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
  • Health technology, devices, supplies
  • Worker safety and health

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Dec 20, 2022). Public domain.

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.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Gary C. PetersD-MISponsor

Democrats · 3

Independents · 1

Republicans · 4

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
    Dec 1, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 400–22

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Feb 4, 2021Introduced in Senate
  2. Feb 4, 2021 · SenateRead twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  3. Mar 17, 2021 · SenateCommittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  4. May 10, 2021Committee 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.
  5. May 10, 2021 · SenateCommittee 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.
  6. May 10, 2021 · SenatePlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 55.
  7. Jul 29, 2021 · SenateMeasure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S5189-5190)
  8. Jul 29, 2021 · SenateThe committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
  9. Jul 29, 2021Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S5189-5190)
  10. Jul 29, 2021 · SenatePassed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S5189-5190)
  11. Jul 30, 2021 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  12. Jul 30, 2021 · HouseReceived in the House.
  13. Jul 30, 2021 · HouseHeld at the desk.
  14. Nov 29, 2022 · HouseMs. Stevens moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  15. Nov 29, 2022 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8609-8612)
  16. Nov 29, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 231.
  17. Nov 29, 2022 · HouseAt 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.
  18. Dec 1, 2022 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8702-8703)
  19. Dec 1, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: 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
  20. Dec 1, 2022 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 400 - 22 (Roll no. 498). (text: 11/29/2022 CR H8609)House · Roll call 498
  21. Dec 1, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  22. Dec 16, 2022Presented to President.
  23. Dec 16, 2022 · HousePresented to President.
  24. Dec 20, 2022Signed by President.
  25. Dec 20, 2022Signed by President.
  26. Dec 20, 2022Became Public Law No: 117-248.
  27. Dec 20, 2022Became Public Law No: 117-248.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.