Washington, DC - Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved a slate of measures including the SAFER Pipelines Act, the GSA Lease Transparency Act, the Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act, and the Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act.
“The legislation passed through Committee today represents the kind of critical work to improve safety and improve transparency that T&I is known for getting done,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair DeFazio (D-OR). “First, I was glad to be able to work with Chairman Pallone of the Energy and Commerce Committee to put together a comprehensive pipeline safety bill. Although this bill has traditionally focused on safety alone, for the first time it will meaningfully address climate change by requiring pipeline operators to reduce methane emissions. It also includes important safety improvements to address unregulated gathering lines, ensure safety for maintenance workers and does more to hold operators accountable for reckless actions, among other things. We also approved legislation that requires GSA to conduct audits of Federal properties that have been leased to private parties, which includes Trump’s DC Hotel. Another important piece of legislation passed today was my bill to address sexual assault and harassment in all modes of transportation. Sexual assault and harassment occurs all too often, affecting both employees and travelers, so this legislation seeks to provide more protections for survivors of these heinous acts. The final piece of legislation our Committee passed today was my bill to establish one standard of safety regardless of where an aircraft is maintained. In addition, we welcomed Congressman Conor Lamb to the Committee. Since coming to Congress Conor has been a champion of infrastructure for his home district in southwest Pennsylvania. I look forward to working with him as the newest member of the Committee.”
Approval of an updated Committee roster due to changes on the Majority side
Congressman Conor Lamb (D-PA) joined the Majority side of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
H.R.5120, SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019
H.R.5120, introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), reauthorizes pipeline safety programs overseen by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). This comprehensive pipeline safety legislation takes numerous steps to improve pipeline safety and address climate change by reducing emissions, preventing pipeline leaks, and holding pipeline operators accountable for reckless actions.
More information can be found here.
H.R.5047, GSA Lease Transparency Act of 2019
On November 12, 2019, Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Subcommittee Chair Dina Titus (D-NV) introduced H.R. 5047, the GSA Lease Transparency Act of 2019. Congresswoman Norton (D-DC) is also a cosponsor. The legislation requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to audit certain transactions in which Federal properties have been leased to private parties. H.R. 5047 applies only to those leases between the GSA and the private sector in which the amount owed to the government is determined by the monthly rental payment plus a percentage of the profits if the annual profits exceed the cost of the annual rental payments.
More information can be found here.
H.R.5139, Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act
On November 18, 2019, Chair DeFazio (D-OR) introduced H.R. 5139, the “Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act” along with 17 original cosponsors. This legislation aims to address incidents of sexual assault and harassment in multiple modes of transportation by requiring certain transportation carriers, including passenger airlines, commuter and intercity passenger railroads, transit agencies, operators of cruise ships, certain types of bus companies, and ridesharing companies to establish formal policies, training, and reporting structures regarding sexual assault and harassment. It also requires the Department of Transportation to collect information on the number of sexual assault or harassment incidents reported by these entities and make this information publicly available.
More information can be found here.
H.R.5119, Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act
On November 15, 2019, Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced H.R. 5119, the Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act with nine original cosponsors. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) oversight of repair stations located outside the United States.
More information can be found here.
--30--