“PORTSMOUTH — President Donald Trump on Monday signed the Defense Authorization Act for 2019, which includes another $10 million secured by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen for the first-ever study on the health effects faced by people exposed to PFAS chemicals.

The annual legislation authorizes national defense objectives for the upcoming fiscal year.

Shaheen’s amendments to the act during the past two years have ensured that a total of $17 million will go to pay for the first two years of the first ever national PFAS health study.

‘It means we have a second year of the study funded or at least authorized, we still have to have the money in the Appropriations bill as well,’ Shaheen said during a stop Monday morning at the site of Revision Military’s new facility at the Pease International Tradeport. ‘I think that’s good news too.’

Shaheen serves on the Armed Services Committee, which deals with defense-related issues.

Shaheen in March procured the first round of funding for the health study after an amendment she included in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law in 2017.

That amendment directs the Department of Defense to pay for the health study, which will be conducted by the Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).”

Read the full article by Jeff McMenemy