S. 3227: Prevent Future American Sickness Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-01-28 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-01-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Prevent Future American Sickness Act of 2020

Plain summary

Prevent Future American Sickness Act of 2020 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, as hazardous substances within one year of enactment of this bill. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing. The bill authorizes states to provide grants to owners of household water wells that have been contaminated by PFAS to purchase and install a household filtration system. Among other requirements, the EPA must establish pretreatment standards for PFAS introduced into publicly owned treatment works; implement various grant programs to assist with PFAS contamination, water infrastructure, and PFAS pretreatment standards; issue a final rule adding PFAS to the list of hazardous air pollutants and, within one year after issuing the rule, revise the list of air pollution sources to include categories and subcategories of major sources and area sources of PFAS; prohibit the disposal of firefighting foam (containing PFAS) by incineration; and identify additional wastes containing PFAS for which a prohibition on incineration may be necessary and prescribe such prohibitions. The bill bans the use of PFAS in food contact substances, which are substances intended for use as a component of materials in manufacturing, packing, packaging, transporting, or holding food, if such use is not intended to have a technical effect in such food. For criminal penalty purposes, wastes containing PFAS must be considered hazardous waste.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Prevent Future American Sickness Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Edward J. Markey (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] reported raising $26.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3227.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3227 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116