# 119-hr-6977: Better Care for PFAS Patients Act of 2026

119-hr-6977, Better Care for PFAS Patients Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3] (D-OR); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6977
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-6977
- Congress: 119
- Title: Better Care for PFAS Patients Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-01-08
- Sponsor: Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Federally coordinated clinical guidance on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) health effects.** It would require the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to assess PFAS health effects, issue initial clinical recommendations within 2 years, and update guidance at least every 5 years while posting and disseminating that guidance to state and local public health authorities and health care professionals. - Families: PFAS-exposed families would get clearer clinical recommendations on testing and follow-up based on regular scientific assessments. - Health care professionals: Clinicians would have ATSDR-posted, evidence-based recommendations to help identify PFAS-linked health effects and guide patient care. - State and local public health agencies: Officials would receive consistent guidance to inform local surveillance and community health responses. - PFAS-exposed communities: The contracting entity must solicit input from affected communities about exposure, testing, and clinical follow-up to shape recommendations.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY), 2026-01-08T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Clinical guidance for PFAS exposure: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would require the Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to enter into an agreement with the National Academies or a similar group within 60 days of enactment. The contracted group would assess PFAS health effects measurable in people and must…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-6977 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6977)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2086)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6977 (as of 2026-04-21).