SENSE Act
Latest action · Mar 16, 2016 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
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.
- IntroducedOct 22, 2015
- Passed HouseMar 15, 2016
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Satisfying Energy Needs and Saving the Environment Act or the SENSE Act
(Sec. 2) This bill modifies the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule as it applies to certain electric utility steam generating units (electric power plants) that convert coal refuse into energy. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must maintain the existing limits for sulfur dioxide emissions from coal refuse utilities under the cap-and-trade system, instead of applying the more restrictive limits that are scheduled to go into effect in 2017. (Under the current system, a cap sets a limit on emissions. The cap is lowered over time to reduce the amount of pollutants released. Utilities may only emit as much carbon as permitted under their allowances, which may be traded with others.) Thus, the EPA must allocate to coal refuse utilities in 2017 and subsequent years the same number of emissions allowances for sulfur dioxide that have been previously allocated to coal refuse utilities, instead of reducing allowances.
After January 1, 2017, a coal refuse utility may not trade any unused sulfur dioxide allowances. Those allowances may be saved by the coal refuse utilities for use in future compliance periods.
The EPA may not increase the total number of allowances for sulfur dioxide emissions from all sources that are allocated to each state.
The bill eases emission limits for hazardous air pollutants from coal refuse utilities. The EPA must allow the utilities to meet compliance requirements by meeting the maximum achievable control technology standards for either hydrogen chloride or sulfur dioxide.
Recorded votes 6
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 123 | On Passage | Passed231–183 | Mar 15, 2016 |
| House 122 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed173–236 | Mar 15, 2016 |
| House 121 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed182–234 | Mar 15, 2016 |
| House 120 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed179–235 | Mar 15, 2016 |
| House 119 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed175–233 | Mar 15, 2016 |
Cosponsors 6
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Oct 22, 2015 to Mar 7, 2016, with 3 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-PA | Glenn Thompson | Original | Oct 22, 2015 |
| R-PA | Lou Barletta | Original | Oct 22, 2015 |
| R-PA | Mike Kelly | Original | Oct 22, 2015 |
| R-WV | David B. McKinley | Oct 23, 2015 | |
| R-PA | Tim Murphy | Feb 2, 2016 | |
| R-TX | Pete Sessions | Mar 7, 2016 |
Actions 40
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Mar 16, 2016Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Mar 15, 2016Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 640. (consideration: CR H1365-1381)
- Mar 15, 2016DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 640, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Bera amendment No. 3.
- Mar 15, 2016DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 640, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Peters amendment No. 4.
- Mar 15, 2016DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 640, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Veasey amendment No. 5.
Amendments 5
Amendments offered to this bill.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HRES 640 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4596) to ensure that small business providers of broadband Internet access service can devote resources to broadband deployment rather than compliance with cumbersome regulatory requirements, and providing for | Procedurally related | Mar 15, 2016 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Environmental Protection.
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Mar 16, 2016Referred in Senate
- Mar 15, 2016Engrossed in House
- Mar 7, 2016Reported in House
- Oct 22, 2015Introduced 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.