Rounds’ bipartisan bill establishes registry of military personnel exposed to toxins

A national database for United States military service members and veterans experiencing health problems possibly due to contamination from toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) would be established under legislation introduced on April 14 by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD). 

The PFAS Registry Act, S. 1121, which Sen. Rounds cosponsored with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and maintain the registry of individuals who may have been exposed to PFAS from the environmental release of aqueous firefighting foam on military installations, according to the congressional record bill summary.

“As the military continues to clean up PFAS contamination around our bases, we owe full transparency to the individuals likely impacted,” Sen. Rounds said. “Our bipartisan legislation will create a national PFAS registry and hold the VA accountable for regularly updating our service members and veterans on the latest information and treatments related to PFAS contamination.”

PFAS are byproducts of aqueous firefighting foam and have been found in drinking water at 600 military installations, according to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). PFAS contamination has been linked with birth defects, various forms of cancer, and immune system dysfunction.

If enacted, S. 1121 also would require the VA to update military personnel and veterans on recent scientific developments on the effects of PFAS exposure and the availability of possible treatment options, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Rounds’ office.

Additionally, the bill would require an independent organization to evaluate the registry and issue a report to Congress, and would direct the VA in consultation with the DOD and the Environmental Protection Agency to continuously provide recommendations to Congress on additional chemicals that should be included in the registry, the summary says.