Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentlewoman and continue to say that I think what we have here is an important directive for the Department…”

“I thank the gentlewoman and continue to say that I think what we have here is an important directive for the Department of Homeland Security. Under their jurisdiction are the first responders, and we clearly know the wide range of needs that firefighters face. Look at the West and the series of wildfires that have spread from California to the far Northwest. Fires are never- ending; chemical exposures are never-ending; and firefighters never stop going into places where people are desperate or there is a need. Mr. Speaker, I am excited about this legislation because it is long overdue. I hope it gets to the President's desk as quickly as possible. I believe that once we pass this, we will give a new lifeline to the Nation's firefighters. As a member of the Fire Caucus, I know that this is a bill long overdue. Mr. Speaker, as I conclude my remarks celebrating the firefighters and supporting this legislation, let me say: Go USA against Iran. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I rise in strong support of S. 231, the Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act. Known as PFAS, for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the chemicals in this class of approximately 5,000 substances have become notorious for their danger to human health. Because the chemical bonds that hold the compounds together don't break down easily, they last a very long time.…”