Washington (February 14, 2023) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined 34 Senators, led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), in a letter to President Biden to urge his administration to include funding in the upcoming budget request to more comprehensively address PFAS contamination. Specifically, the letter asks for funding dedicated to close gaps in data and research, support ongoing testing and cleanup efforts, and support regulations to better protect the public and environment from PFAS contamination.  

In addition to Senators Markey and Shaheen, Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Calif.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed onto the letter. 

“The prevalence of PFAS combined with the adverse health impacts associated with exposure—including developmental effects, changes in liver, immune and thyroid function and increased risk of some cancers—requires a comprehensive approach. Specifically, we ask that your budget request include dedicated funding to close gaps in data and research to better inform responses and drive innovation. Second, we urge prioritization of regulatory work necessary to enhance protections for public health and the environment. Finally, we encourage robust funding to support ongoing testing and cleanup of existing contamination nationwide,” the Senators wrote. 

Full text of the letter is available here.  

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