,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #dic #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bebe ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ai1 #bjai,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself and ,mr4 ,gardner7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,july #bb1 #bjbj,reported by ,mr4 ,wicker1 with an amendment,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology to conduct a study of personal protective equipment worn by firefighters to determine the prevalence and concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,guaranteeing ,equipment ,safety for ,firefighters ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology study on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective equipment worn by firefighters 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology shall1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,national ,institute for ,occupational ,safety and ,health1 commence a study of the contents and composition of new and unused personal protective equipment worn by firefighters4 7b7 ,contents of study ,in carrying out the study required by subsection 7a71 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology shall examine-- 7#a7 the identity1 prevalence1 and concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances 7commonly known as ,,pfas7 in the personal protective equipment worn by firefighters2 7#b7 the conditions and extent to which per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are released into the environment over time from the degradation of personal protective equipment from normal use by firefighters2 and 7#c7 the relative risk of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances faced by firefighters from-- 7,a7 their use of personal protective equipment2 and 7,b7 degradation of personal protective equipment from normal use by firefighters4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall submit to ,congress a report describing-- 7#a7 the findings of the ,director with respect to the study carried out under subsection 7a72 and 7#b7 recommendations on what additional research or technical improvements to personal protective equipment materials or components should be pursued to avoid unnecessary occupational exposure among firefighters to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances through personal protective equipment4 #c4 ,research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective equipment worn by firefighters 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #edj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology shall-- 7#a7 issue a solicitation for research proposals to carry out the research recommendations identified in the report submitted under section #b7;c72 and 7#b7 award grants to applicants that submit research proposals to develop safe alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective equipment4 7b7 ,criteria ,the ,director shall select research proposals to receive a grant under subsection 7a7 on the basis of merit1 using criteria identified by the ,director1 including the likelihood that the research results will address the findings of the ,director with respect to the study conducted under section #b7;a74 7c7 ,eligible entities ,any entity or group of #b or more entities may submit to the ,director a research proposal in response to the solicitation for research proposals under subsection 7a71 including-- 7#a7 ,state and local agencies2 7#b7 public institutions1 including public institutions of higher education2 7#c7 private corporations2 and 7#d7 nonprofit organizations4 7d7 ,funding 7#a7 ,requests ,beginning in the first full fiscal year following the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and not less frequently than once each year thereafter for #b years1 the ,director may request such funding as the ,director considers necessary to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,limitation ,in carrying out this section1 the ,director may not expend or obligate more than #e1jjj1jjj in any #a fiscal year4 #d4 ,authority for ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology to consult with experts on matters relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ,in carrying out this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology may consult with ,federal agencies1 nongovernmental organizations1 ,state and local governments1 and science and research institutions determined by the ,director to have scientific or material interest in reducing unnecessary occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by firefighters4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,guaranteeing ,equipment ,safety for ,firefighters ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology study on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective equipment worn by firefighters 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #c years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology shall1 in partnership with the ,director of the ,national ,institute for ,occupational ,safety and ,health1 complete a study of the contents and composition of new and unused personal protective equipment worn by firefighters4 7b7 ,contents of study ,in carrying out the study required by subsection 7a71 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology shall examine-- 7#a7 the identity1 prevalence1 and concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances 7commonly known as ,,pfas7 in the personal protective equipment worn by firefighters2 7#b7 the conditions and extent to which per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are released into the environment over time from the degradation of personal protective equipment from normal use by firefighters2 and 7#c7 the relative risk of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances faced by firefighters from-- 7,a7 their use of personal protective equipment2 and 7,b7 degradation of personal protective equipment from normal use by firefighters4 7c7 ,reports 7#a7 ,progress reports ,not less frequently than once each year for the duration of the study conducted under subsection 7a71 the ,director shall submit to ,congress a report on the progress of the ,director in conducting such study4 7#b7 ,final report ,not later than #ij days after the date on which the ,director completes the study required by subsection 7a71 the ,director shall submit to ,congress a report describing-- 7,a7 the findings of the ,director with respect to the study2 and 7,b7 recommendations on what additional research or technical improvements to personal protective equipment materials or components should be pursued to avoid unnecessary occupational exposure among firefighters to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances through personal protective equipment4 #c4 ,research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective equipment worn by firefighters 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the submittal of the report required by section #b7;c77#b71 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology shall-- 7#a7 issue a solicitation for research proposals to carry out the research recommendations identified in the report submitted under section #b7;c72 and 7#b7 award grants to applicants that submit research proposals to develop safe alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in personal protective equipment4 7b7 ,criteria ,the ,director shall select research proposals to receive a grant under subsection 7a7 on the basis of merit1 using criteria identified by the ,director1 including the likelihood that the research results will address the findings of the ,director with respect to the study conducted under section #b7;a74 7c7 ,eligible entities ,any entity or group of #b or more entities may submit to the ,director a research proposal in response to the solicitation for research proposals under subsection 7a71 including-- 7#a7 ,state and local agencies2 7#b7 public institutions1 including public institutions of higher education2 7#c7 private corporations2 and 7#d7 nonprofit organizations4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,director such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,supplement not supplant ,funds made available to carry out this section shall supplement and not supplant funds made available to the ,director for other purposes4 #d4 ,authority for ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology to consult with experts on matters relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ,in carrying out this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology may consult with ,federal agencies1 nongovernmental organizations1 ,state and local governments1 and science and research institutions determined by the ,director to have scientific or material interest in reducing unnecessary occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by firefighters4 ,july #bb1 #bjbj,reported with an amendment