U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at improving care for patients exposed to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The proposed legislation, known as the Better Care for PFAS Patients Act, seeks to ensure that clinical guidance on PFAS exposure is regularly updated based on new scientific findings.
The bill requires the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Research (ATSDR) to work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) to assess the health effects of PFAS and create clinical recommendations within two years of the law’s enactment. NASEM would then be required to update its assessment and guidance every five years, or more often if determined necessary by ATSDR. Additionally, ATSDR must issue its own clinical guidance within five years and update it periodically.
Senator Collins highlighted the significance of ongoing updates in medical guidance: “PFAS and other harmful contaminants have been discovered in private water systems in Maine and across the country, and contamination will only become more evident as testing becomes more readily available,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would require the CDC to continuously update clinical guidance on the health effects of PFAS, helping to ensure that medical professionals and citizens have access to the latest information on these substances.”
Senator Shaheen emphasized continued efforts for those affected by PFAS: “As we learn more about the health effects of PFAS, it’s imperative that we take steps to help protect Americans who have high exposure to these toxic chemicals,” said Senator Shaheen. “I have long fought to address PFAS contamination in New Hampshire so I’m proud to build on those efforts by introducing bipartisan legislation that would ensure health care providers have the most up-to-date information and guidance in order to best care for their patients. Finding new ways to support those impacted by PFAS will continue to be one of my top bipartisan priorities in Congress.”
The measure has received endorsements from several organizations including the Environmental Working Group, Southern Environmental Law Center, Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water, Testing for Pease, and the National PFAS Contamination Coalition.
Collins and Shaheen were lead negotiators on the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which allocated $10 billion specifically targeting PFAS remediation efforts nationwide. Of this amount, $5 billion was set aside for small or disadvantaged communities.
Since 2024, Senator Collins has secured $33 million through annual appropriations bills for a dedicated PFAS Center of Excellence at University of Maine’s New England Plant, Soil, and Water Research Laboratory. In 2022 she also obtained $8 million for related research at UMaine.
In December last year, both senators reintroduced another piece of legislation—the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act—which proposes grants for states assisting farmers affected by contamination through financial aid, expanded monitoring programs, remediation efforts or relocation assistance.