Peter Meijer: “I thank our ranking member, Mr. Lucas, for yielding me time and for his continued leadership on the Science, Space and…”

“I thank our ranking member, Mr. Lucas, for yielding me time and for his continued leadership on the Science, Space and Technology Committee. Madam Speaker, H.R. 7289, the Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act, is a bipartisan bill that offers both reasonable and pragmatic action on PFAS. I was proud to introduce it with the gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Fletcher), my colleague and friend. PFAS chemicals, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, can be found in nonstick pans, firefighting foam, food packaging, medical devices, and many other everyday products. There are hundreds of PFAS compounds, and the makeup of these forever chemicals makes them difficult to break down in nature. But given the sheer number of compounds and the complexity of each, there is much we still do not know about the chemicals, including where they might have been used. In my home State of Michigan, it is estimated there could be as many as 11,300 potential sites where PFAS may have been used. The response to PFAS requires a balanced approach, and I do not believe we should have to pick between encouraging economic growth or protecting human health and the environment. We need to ensure that any potential regulation is based on strong and science-based evidence, and that is where H.R. 7289 will play a critical role. With this bill, we will learn more about both the human health and environmental effects of PFAS.…”