Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for managing and her leadership and the gentleman from Oklahoma for his…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for managing and her leadership and the gentleman from Oklahoma for his leadership. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee that has dealt with PFAS over the years, I am extremely grateful for this legislation that has come from the Senate and particularly grateful because I use as a backdrop having been on the Homeland Security Committee since its origins, on 9/11, when firefighters rushed in to save lives. Some, of course, tragically lost their lives along with other law enforcement as they were attempting to save people from the burning buildings. But we do know that their long journey that was taken in order to get coverage and compensation for the terrible exposures that they had in the chemicals in the aftermath of 9/11. This brings to mind the importance of this legislation having dealt with PFAS in many different forms, particularly in the agriculture arena, the Homeland Security Committee has looked at these chemicals and how they can be made safe, if you will, in the midst of the utilization that they have. This legislation is extremely important because it works to develop guidance to firefighters and other emergency response personnel on training, education, and best practices to protect them from exposure from PFAS, these chemicals that they are bound to engage when they rush in to save lives and to save property from the terrors of fire.…”