HR 5175 · 116th Congress 2019–2021, ended

Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2019

Introduced Nov 19, 2019 Originated House Sponsor Eric A. "Rick" Crawford R-AR

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Nov 20, 2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

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.

  1. IntroducedNov 19, 2019
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2019

This bill addresses pipeline safety with respect to natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.

Among other provisions, the bill

  • reauthorizes appropriations through FY2023 for pipeline safety activities;
  • allows for limited safety-enhancing testing programs to evaluate innovative technologies and operational practices testing the safe operation of natural gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facilities;
  • authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a confidential and non-punitive voluntary information-sharing system to encourage collaborative efforts to improve inspection information feedback and information-sharing on best practices, processes, and technology deployments with respect to such facilities;
  • establishes a Liquefied Natural Gas division within the Office of Pipeline Safety of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to ensure the safety and oversight of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, including small-scale LNG facilities, peak shaving facilities, and import or export facilities;
  • creates a Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas Safety and Training;
  • increases staffing levels in the PHMSA to hire additional personnel with safety expertise; and
  • directs DOT to initiate a study on technologies and measures that reduce the amount of natural gas released during venting and blowdowns of natural gas distribution systems and transmission pipelines.

Cosponsors 40

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Nov 19, 2019 to Jun 15, 2020; 18 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-OHBob GibbsOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-TXBrian BabinOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-WVCarol D. MillerOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-AKDon YoungOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-CADoug LaMalfaOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-INGreg PenceOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-PRJenniffer González-ColónOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-NYJohn KatkoOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-NCMark MeadowsOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-ILMike BostOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-MNPete StauberOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-TXRandy K. Weber, Sr.OriginalNov 19, 2019
R-GARob WoodallOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-ILRodney DavisOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-FLRoss SpanoOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-MOSam GravesOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-PAScott PerryOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-OHTroy BaldersonOriginalNov 19, 2019
R-FLDaniel WebsterNov 21, 2019
I-MIPaul MitchellDec 3, 2019
R-ARBruce WestermanDec 4, 2019
R-NCDavid RouzerDec 5, 2019
R-PALloyd SmuckerDec 5, 2019
R-LAGarret GravesDec 10, 2019
R-PAFred KellerJan 27, 2020
R-MSTrent KellyJan 27, 2020
R-MNJim HagedornJan 30, 2020
R-PAGuy ReschenthalerFeb 4, 2020
R-MOBlaine LuetkemeyerFeb 5, 2020
R-OKFrank D. LucasFeb 5, 2020
R-NCTed BuddFeb 5, 2020
R-TXJohn RatcliffeFeb 12, 2020
R-TXWill HurdFeb 12, 2020
R-SDDusty JohnsonFeb 14, 2020
R-MSMichael GuestFeb 14, 2020
R-GAAustin ScottFeb 26, 2020
R-AZPaul A. GosarFeb 26, 2020
R-GARick W. AllenFeb 26, 2020
R-OKTom ColeFeb 28, 2020
R-WADan NewhouseJun 15, 2020

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseTransportation and Infrastructure Committee
Referred Nov 19, 2019
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee
Referred Nov 20, 2019
HouseEnergy and Commerce Committee
Referred Nov 19, 2019
Energy Subcommittee
Referred Nov 20, 2019

Actions 4

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Nov 20, 2019Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
  2. Nov 20, 2019Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
  3. Nov 19, 2019Introduced in House
  4. Nov 19, 2019Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, specifically Clause 3 (related to regulation of Commerce with foreign nations and among the several States).

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 165, no. 185, November 19, 2019, page H9058.

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide enhanced safety in pipeline transportation, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Introduced
Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2019

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Transportation and Public Works.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Nov 19, 2019Introduced in House

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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.