H.R. 705: To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a compensation fund for military firefighters exposed to PFAS.

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish the Military Firefighters Compensation Fund to provide compensation to current and former military firefighters, or survivors of such firefighters, for illnesses incurred in the line of duty due to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects.

Under the bill, current and former military firefighters are presumed to have been exposed to PFAS (in the absence of substantial evidence to the contrary) if the firefighter was employed at a military installation, facility of the National Guard, or formerly used defense site during a period when PFAS would have been present at such facility.

The bill provides that in cases where a military firefighter is deceased at the time of payment of compensation, the surviving spouse must receive the payment. If there is no surviving spouse, the bill provides for the order of distribution to other surviving parties (e.g., a child or parent of the firefighter). The bill also provides that a survivor of a firefighter may file a claim for compensation if the firefighter dies before filing a claim.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.