Congress·In Committee·H.R. 6990

PROTECT Act of 2026

Congress Proposes Bill Requiring EPA to Regulate "Forever Chemicals" as Hazardous Air Pollutants

Jan 8·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

This bill is one vehicle in a longer effort. See the full story across every version.View effort →

Next up: A house committeeNo action in 6 months

The PROTECT Act of 2026 is currently in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Nothing has happened with this bill since it was referred to the committee in January 2026. Because no action has occurred for five months, the bill is stalled and unlikely to move forward.

Legislative Progress

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How we got here

This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.

Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 6834 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 6834 (118th) →

Key Points

This bill, introduced by a bipartisan group in Congress, requires the Environmental Protection Agency to label a large group of chemicals known as PFAS as hazardous air pollutants. These are often called "forever chemicals" because they stay in the environment and the human body for a very long time without breaking down.
If this becomes law, the EPA would have 180 days to officially add these chemicals to a federal danger list. This list is used to track and control substances that are known to cause serious health issues, including cancer and birth defects.
Within one year of listing the chemicals, the EPA would also have to identify the specific types of factories and businesses that release these substances into the air. This would eventually lead to strict new limits on how much pollution these facilities are allowed to produce.
This policy aims to protect public health by reducing exposure to toxic chemicals used in products like non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing. Currently, there are no national standards that limit how much of these specific chemicals companies can release into the air.

Energy EnvironmentHealthcare

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works

Life & Work

Small manufacturers, dry cleaners, and other businesses that use PFAS-containing products or processes could face new compliance costs once emission standards are set for hazardous air pollutants. Meeting new pollution control requirements typically involves equipment upgrades, monitoring systems, and reporting obligations that weigh more heavily on smaller operations with tighter margins.

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ImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

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ImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Disabilities

State Impacts

StateScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Jan 8, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Jan 8, 2026

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Related News

3 articles

Michigan Advance·Jan 12

Michigan Democrats introduce bipartisan bill to strengthen protections against PFAS air pollution

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the PROTECT Act to close regulatory gaps in PFAS air pollution. The bill mandates the EPA to list PFAS as hazardous substances within 180 days and identify major emission sources within a year, targeting factories that release these chemicals.

Center Left

Michigan News Source·Jan 16

Clearing the Air: New Bill Aims to Control PFAS Pollution

The PROTECT Act, introduced by a bipartisan coalition, seeks to bring PFAS under the Clean Air Act's oversight. The legislation would force the EPA to set standards for gaseous PFAS emissions and regulate facilities that release these 'forever chemicals' into the atmosphere.

Center Right

Bloomberg Law·Jan 16

EPA Heads to Court to Defend PFAS Listing as Hazardous Substance

As the EPA faces legal challenges over its designation of PFAS as hazardous substances, new legislative efforts like the PROTECT Act aim to codify these requirements into law, specifically targeting air emissions from industrial manufacturers and chemical plants.

Center Left

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