Press Releases

Reps. Jack Bergman (MI-01) and Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) introduced the bipartisan Military PFAS Transparency Act to shine a light on PFAS cleanup efforts by the Department of Defense (DoD), and get more answers for over 600 communities across the country that have been contaminated by “forever chemicals.”

“Our government owes the communities and people affected by PFAS clarity and answers,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “The Military PFAS Transparency Act will help Michigan families by requiring regular updates from DoD on their PFAS cleanup efforts, making the process more responsive and accountable. Congressman Bergman has been a terrific partner, and I won’t stop fighting to get communities in Michigan and across the country the answers they deserve.”

“I’m proud to introduce this important bipartisan legislation alongside Rep. McDonald Rivet as we push federal bureaucracies to take real, meaningful action on PFAS cleanup. The problem has been studied extensively—it’s time to act,”said Congressman Bergman. "This bill is about turning analysis into accountability and moving the Pentagon from paperwork to real-world cleanup.”

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” are used in a wide array of products like firefighting foams, food packaging, cosmetics, and fabrics. Their widespread use has contaminated soil, surface water, groundwater, and food across the country. These forever chemicals have also contaminated hundreds of military installations and surrounding communities across the country, including over a dozen in Michigan. Some PFAS can cause harmful health effects and have been linked to health complications, including damage to the immune system and an increased risk of developing certain cancers. 

The Military PFAS Transparency Act would: 

• Require Annual Reporting on DoD PFAS Cleanup Efforts: The bill requires DoD to submit annual reports detailing site-specific funding, progress, and barriers for all interim PFAS remediation and cleanup efforts. This includes timelines, performance metrics, and the status of the actions.
• Establish Better Cleanup Strategies: The bill requires DoD to commit to more efficient cleanup strategies. These strategies will prioritize cleanup based on risk, increase lab testing capacity, and set standards for evaluating cleanup efforts.
• Improve Transparency through a Public Dashboard: The bill requires DoD to create a public online dashboard within one year to display updated PFAS cleanup data, funding, timelines, and community points of contact.

The Military PFAS Transparency Act is endorsed by the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and the Great Lakes Commission. 

“This bipartisan bill is an important step to put impacted communities at the center of Pentagon PFAS cleanups and to encourage real collaboration with people on the ground who best understand what needs to be done,” said Tony Spaniola, Co-Chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. “The Pentagon’s interim action policy, which was developed by community experts in Oscoda, Michigan, is designed to strategically cut off PFAS exposures and make every federal dollar count.  I commend Representatives McDonald Rivet and Bergman for their critical work to ensure that the policy actually brings results for the people and communities it is supposed to protect.”

“For far too long, people living near military bases exposed to toxic PFAS chemicals have been in the dark in terms of Department of Defense cleanup efforts, which puts our water and our health in danger,” said Bentley Johnson, federal government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “The Military PFAS Transparency Act will make sure that impacted residents and the general public know the status of the military PFAS remediation, which can help reduce exposure to contamination. Better transparency and improved cleanup strategies will save lives, and so we applaud the bill's sponsors and urge that Congress enact this critical legislation into law.”

“PFAS pose a grave threat to drinking water and public health – a threat that is felt acutely in the Great Lakes. It is critical, then, that residents of the Great Lakes region and beyond know how their government is responding, in order to improve outcomes for all affected communities,” said Dr. Michael J. Goff, President and CEO of the Northeast-Midwest Institute. “We thank Congresswoman McDonald Rivet and Congressman Bergman for their leadership on this important issue.”

This legislation is also supported by the other co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02).