Hazardous Materials Vulnerability Reduction Act of 2005
Latest action · Aug 15, 2005 Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJul 28, 2005
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Hazardous Materials Vulnerability Reduction Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to issue regulations for the rail shipment and storage of extremely hazardous materials by railroad owners and operators, including requirements relating to high threat corridors and protocols for the coordination of federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities in creating a plan to respond to a terrorist attack, sabotage, or accident involving a rail shipment of extremely hazardous materials that causes the release of such materials.
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to local governments and owners and operators of railroads to conduct training in safety procedures for handling and responding to emergencies involving extremely hazardous materials.
Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to experienced national nonprofit employee organizations to train railway HAZMAT workers.
Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the benefits and availability of technology and procedures that may be utilized to: (1) reduce the likelihood of a terrorist attack on a rail shipment of extremely hazardous materials; (2) reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic release of extremely hazardous materials in the event of a terrorist attack; and (3) enhance the ability of first responders to respond to a terrorist attack on a rail shipment of extremely hazardous materials.
Prohibits discrimination against any employee of a railroad for disclosing to the Secretary, the Attorney General, or any federal supervisory agency a possible violation of this Act by a railroad owner or operator.
Allows any state or local government to bring a civil action in a U.S. district court for redress of injuries caused by a violation of this Act against any person (other than an individual) who transports, loads, unloads, or is otherwise involved in the shipping of extremely hazardous materials by rail.
Provides for administrative penalties of up to $1 million for each failure to comply with this Act.
Cosponsors
Members who signed on, in the order they did.
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Homeland Security Committee | Referred Jul 28, 2005 |
| Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee | Referred Aug 15, 2005 | |
| House | Transportation and Infrastructure Committee | Referred Jul 28, 2005 |
| Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee | Referred Jul 29, 2005 |
Actions 4
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Aug 15, 2005Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity.
- Jul 29, 2005Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads.
- Jul 28, 2005Introduced in House
- Jul 28, 2005Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 1256 | Hazardous Materials Vulnerability Reduction Act of 2005 | Identical bill | Jun 16, 2005 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop regulations regarding the transportation of extremely hazardous materials, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Hazardous Materials Vulnerability Reduction Act of 2005
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Transportation and Public Works.
- Administrative procedure
- Civil actions and liability
- Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Congress
- Congressional reporting requirements
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Department of Homeland Security
- Discrimination in employment
- Economics and Public Finance
- Emergency Management
- Employee training
- Energy
- Environmental Protection
- Explosives
- Federal aid to transportation
- Fines (Penalties)
- Government Operations and Politics
- Governmental investigations
- Labor and Employment
- Law
- Nonprofit organizations
- Radioactive wastes
- Railroad employees
- Railroad safety
- Sabotage
- Social Welfare
- Terrorism
- Transportation and Public Works
- Transportation of hazardous substances
- Transportation planning
- Whistle blowing
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jul 28, 2005Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.