Statement by Congressman Kildee on First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard for PFAS Chemicals

WASHINGTON—Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force, issued the following statement after the Biden administration released the first-ever national drinking water standard for PFAS contamination:

“Today’s first-ever drinking water standard is a testament to what we can accomplish when we stand united to take on special interests. This standard acknowledges what we have known for years—PFAS chemicals pose a grave danger to the health of our communities. I applaud President Biden for taking action to protect our children and communities from these harmful chemicals.

“Ten years ago, when we first started talking about ‘forever’ chemicals, most Members of Congress could not spell PFAS. In 2019, I founded the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force to begin raising awareness about this urgent health threat and bring Republicans and Democrats together to advance efforts to more quickly clean up PFAS chemicals. Today, almost 60 Members of Congress, on both sides of the aisle, regularly work together on the Task Force to address PFAS contamination.

“This national drinking water standard is a critical step, but more needs to be done. Congress must pass my legislation, the VET PFAS Act, to ensure veterans and their families exposed to PFAS at military installations get the health care and benefits they need through the VA. Congress must pass my Expanding Seniors’ Access to PFAS Testing Act, which would require Medicare to cover PFAS blood testing at no cost to patients. And Congress must pass the Better Care for PFAS Patients Act, which would ensure doctors are provided with up-to-date guidance on how best to treat PFAS-exposed individuals.

“I will continue to work to more urgently address and clean up toxic PFAS chemicals in Michigan and across the country.”