God Bless America.
There's actually a bill from the Democrats I believe in!
The new bill wants to completely annihilate the use of chemicals that are cancerous in our typical items.
According to The Hill:
A new bill from Senate Democrats would roll out $20 billion in funding to remove cancer-linked “forever chemicals” from water as it contaminates supplies across the country.
The legislation, rolled out by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) office Thursday, targets a class of chemicals known as PFAS used in everyday products, ranging from nonstick cookware to raincoats. They’ve been dubbed “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the human body and the environment.
The bill would expand the scope of existing water programs run by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), increasing the funding of various grant programs while allowing that money to be used to remove PFAS from water.
Those funds could be used by major water systems or even homeowners who need to have private wells tested.
The $20 billion Shaheen sets aside – spread out over the course of a decade – would be a staggering increase over what Congress has previously appropriated on PFAS.
Much of that previous funding has gone to the military, which has spread PFAS contamination through heavy use of firefighting foam that contains it. The Pentagon estimates its own PFAS clean-up costs will exceed $2 billion.
Shaheen’s bill would allow for cleanup of drinking water as well as groundwater that has been contaminated. Much of the funding will be given to the EPA and then to the states, which could oversee programs helping people with wells treat their water.
It gives preference to treatment methods that destroy PFAS entirely rather than filtration systems that capture PFAS, often leaving the accumulated contaminants in a landfill.
While too many people believe that $20 billion is too much to spend on this bill, legislative director for the American Water Works Association Tommy Holmes states,
“We do appreciate members of Congress offering financial assistance to address a contaminant”