Sen. Heinrich Pushes PFAS Alternatives Act to Create Toxic-Free Gear for Firefighters
The PFAS Alternatives Act is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently introduced in the Senate and sent to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
This bill has support from both Democrats and Republicans, which helps its chances. However, it must still pass through the committee process and secure funding in a busy legislative schedule.
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
The bill requires grant recipients to partner with organizations that represent rank-and-file firefighters, meaning firefighter unions and associations will help shape and roll out new safety guidance and training. This gives organized labor groups in the fire service a formal role in developing and disseminating the new gear standards.
“including organizations that directly represent members who serve in nonmanagerial firefighting roles”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
The PFAS Alternatives Act, introduced by Sen. Martin Heinrich on June 18, 2026, aims to enhance firefighter safety by accelerating the development of PFAS-free turnout gear. The bill proposes $25 million annually from 2027 to 2031 for grants and $2 million for training starting in 2028.
The PFAS Alternatives Act would authorize $25 million annually for fiscal years 2027-2031 for grants to develop new protective gear. The research will be conducted in partnership between firefighters and scientists to achieve PFAS-free gear and better accounting for varied body types.
Bipartisan legislation (S. 4844) has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to fund the development of new turnout gear that is PFAS-free. The IAFF-endorsed bill aims to reduce occupational exposure to carcinogens that are currently found in all three layers of protective clothing.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
PFAS Alternatives Act
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