U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on June 26 proposed a bipartisan bill that would give a national drinking water rule the full force of federal law to ensure the standard remains enforceable and insulated from future regulatory uncertainty or reversal.
The PFAS National Drinking Water Standard Act of 2025, H.R. 4168, would codify the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) national primary drinking water regulation for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are synthetic chemicals linked to a range of serious health risks, including cancer, developmental disorders, infertility, and immune dysfunction. Fitzpatrick sponsored the bill alongside original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI).
“I’ve spent years fighting to clean up toxic sites, secure Superfund designations, and hold polluters accountable,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “Now, with this bill, we are cementing the EPA’s PFAS drinking water standard into federal law — so it can never be weakened, walked back, or ignored.
“For families in my community and across the country, it delivers what they’ve long been denied: certainty, accountability, and the peace of mind that their water is finally safe,” said the congressman, who along with Rep. Dingell serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force.
If enacted, H.R. 4168 would codify the EPA’s final PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation issued on April 26, 2024 establishing enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six of the most hazardous PFAS chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, in public drinking water systems, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
“After years of fighting, the EPA issued a rule to limit the levels of six PFAS commonly found in drinking water, an important step to keep forever chemicals out of our homes and bodies,” Rep. Dingell said. “Too many people have already suffered the adverse effects of PFAS exposure, and this standard protects more Americans from being poisoned.”
H.R. 4168 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.