House Committee On Energy and Commerce Advances Pipeline Safety Authorization Act, Heads to House Floor

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced Rep. Randy Weber's (R-TX) Pipeline Safety Authorization Act Tuesday, which will head to the House floor. 

What does the bill entail?

The purpose of the bill is to amend title 49 of the United States Code to improve the safety of pipeline transportation. The bill outlines minimum safety standards and holds those accountable who damage pipeline operations. 

What are people saying?

• Rep. Weber: "Americans deserve nothing less than our continued effort to move the needle closer and closer to 100 percent safety, and this legislation helps us do exactly that."

Weber introduced H.R. 9338 Saturday, which was quickly approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee. 

The bill now moves to the House floor for consideration. 

"This bill reflects what dedicated members of this body and their staff can accomplish when they come together at the table to make America better," said Rep. Weber at the Committee hearing. 

Weber's Pipeline Safety Authorization Act has been refined, so as to use language to protect the First Amendment rights of lawful protestors, while holding those accountable "who knowingly and willfully damage pipeline equipment or disrupt operations by manipulating a valve." 

While protecting the pipelines from protestor damage, the bill also protects those who work on pipelines, outlining safe practices.

The bill strengthens civil penalties for safety violations, promotes best practices across state damage prevention programs and establishes a voluntary information-sharing system, allowing lessons to be learned from accidents, or near misses, in order to prevent the next one. 

Additionally, the bill will support communities working to repair and replace aging natural gas systems, working with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to set deadlines for updated carbon dioxide pipeline safety standards and completing overdue pipeline safety rule makings.

Moving closer to total safety, the bill protects U.S. pipeline workers, by outlining safe practices.