Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I rise in opposition to H.R. 4366.

PFAS contamination is in my district, as in everyone else's district across this Nation. In my case, it is largely as a result of the legacy of firefighting foam used at what was Willow Grove Naval Air Base. My own brother worked there.

PFAS contamination, we know, is extremely dangerous, and I will say those who produced these chemicals for six decades have known of their danger and hid it for many, many years.

The brave men and women of our military were disproportionately highly exposed to rates of PFAS. More than 700 military bases have been contaminated with PFAS. The servicemembers that call these bases work or home have been continually exposed to these forever chemicals, as have their neighbors in the surrounding area.

We are still learning more and more about the health effects from this level of toxin; decreased fertility, increased risk of cancers, obesity, thyroid hormone disruption, just to name a few.

Congress and the White House have a responsibility to protect our current and future servicemembers from these toxins, as well as their neighbors. That is why the FY23 appropriations bill included an additional $200 million in dedicated funding for PFAS remediation and cleanup.

Unfortunately, this bill has no dedicated funding for PFAS and does not meet the President's funding request. Failing to address this widespread nationwide PFAS contamination on our military bases and the surrounding areas is failing our servicemembers.

Our military members stand up for us every single day. Today, we must stand up for them and all of our citizens by investing in PFAS research and remediation by rejecting this bill.

The Pennsylvania Constitution, article I, section 29, provides that we have a right to clean air, clean water, and the preservation of our natural aesthetic. Let's live up to that right.

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