[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9338 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9338
To amend title 49, United States Code, to improve the safety of
pipeline transportation, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 18, 2026
Mr. Weber of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to improve the safety of
pipeline transportation, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pipeline Safety Authorization Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 60101(a)(21)(B) of title 49, United States Code, is amended
to read as follows:
``(B) does not include--
``(i) gathering gas (except through
regulated gathering lines) in a rural area
outside a populated area designated by the
Secretary as a nonrural area; or
``(ii) moving gas through a piping system
for a purpose that directly supports the
operations of an onshore production, refining,
or manufacturing facility, including for use as
fuel or feedstock, if the piping system is--
``(I) an in-plant piping system
that is located entirely within the
boundary of the facility; or
``(II) a transfer piping system
that extends less than one mile in
length outside the boundaries of the
facility;''.
SEC. 3. MINIMUM SAFETY STANDARDS.
Section 60102(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``benefits''
and inserting ``safety and economic benefits within the
United States''; and
(B) in subparagraph (E), by inserting ``within the
United States'' after ``costs'';
(2) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``benefits'' and
inserting ``safety and economic benefits within the United
States''; and
(3) in paragraph (5)--
(A) by inserting ``explicitly'' before
``required'';
(B) by inserting ``, economic,'' after ``safety'';
and
(C) by inserting ``within the United States'' after
``environmental benefits''.
SEC. 4. OPPORTUNITY FOR FORMAL HEARING.
(a) Enforcement Procedures.--Section 60117(b)(1) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (J), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(K) in the case of an enforcement matter relating
to a notice of a probable violation issued after the
date of enactment of the Pipeline Safety Authorization
Act of 2026, where the respondent can reasonably show
the cost of the proposed compliance action will exceed
$125,000, or where the proposed civil penalty is
$125,000 or more, provide an opportunity for a formal
hearing described in paragraph (2)(B).''.
(b) Protocols for Public Hearing.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall
publish protocols for hearings open to the public pursuant to section
60117(b)(2) of title 49, United States Code, that ensure an orderly
process and protection of confidential information, in accordance with
section 554 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 5. SPECIAL PERMIT PROGRAM.
(a) Compliance and Waivers.--Section 60118(c)(1) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(C) Limitation on terms.--The Secretary shall
impose no terms on a waiver under this paragraph that
do not apply to known pipeline safety risks applicable
to the standard being waived under subparagraph (A).
``(D) Publication.--Upon completion of the
application requirements under section 190.341 of title
49, Code of Federal Regulations, or successor
regulations, the Secretary shall publish notice of the
application in the Federal Register.
``(E) Review of application.--The Secretary shall
complete a review of each such application not later
than 18 months after publishing a notice in the Federal
Register described in subparagraph (D) with respect to
the application.''.
(b) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall
submit to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report on the implementation by
the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration of subparagraphs (C) through (E) of
section 60118(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code.
(2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) a listing of each special permit application
applied for under section 60118(c)(1) of title 49,
United States Code;
(B) a brief summary of the purpose of each such
special permit;
(C) the date on which each such application was
received;
(D) the date on which each such application was
completed or, in the absence of completion, the status
of the application;
(E) the date on which the Secretary issued a
determination on the application; and
(F) the explanation of the Secretary for any
decision made outside the review period identified in
section 60118(c)(1)(E) of title 49, United States Code,
if applicable.
(c) GAO Report.--Not later than 1 year after the submission of the
report under subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a
report assessing the Secretary of Transportation's implementation of,
and compliance with, subparagraphs (C) through (E) of section
60118(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code.
SEC. 6. STRENGTHENING PENALTIES FOR PIPELINE SAFETY VIOLATIONS.
Section 60123(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``damaging or destroying'' and inserting
``damaging, destroying, or impairing the operation of''; and
(2) by inserting ``damaging or destroying such a facility
under construction and intended to be operated as such a
facility on completion of the construction,'' before ``or
attempting''.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION LEVELS.
Section 60125 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) Gas and Hazardous Liquid.--
``(1) In general.--From fees collected under section 60301,
there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to
carry out section 12 of the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of
2002 (49 U.S.C. 60101 note; Public Law 107-355) and the
provisions of this chapter relating to gas and hazardous liquid
$180,786,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, of
which--
``(A) $9,000,000 shall be used to carry out section
12 of the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (49
U.S.C. 60101 note; Public Law 107-355); and
``(B) $77,000,000 shall be used for making grants.
``(2) Trust fund amounts.--In addition to the amounts
authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), there are
authorized to be appropriated from the Oil Spill Liability
Trust Fund established by section 9509(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 to carry out section 12 of the Pipeline
Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (49 U.S.C. 60101 note; Public
Law 107-355) and the provisions of this chapter relating to
hazardous liquid $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027
through 2031, of which--
``(A) $3,000,000 shall be used to carry out section
12 of the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (49
U.S.C. 60101 note; Public Law 107-355); and
``(B) $13,000,000 shall be used for making grants.
``(3) Underground natural gas storage facility safety
account.--From fees collected under section 60302, there is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out
section 60141 $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through
2031.''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``2021 through 2023''
and inserting ``2027 through 2031''.
SEC. 8. PIPELINE SAFETY VOLUNTARY INFORMATION-SHARING SYSTEM.
(a) In General.--Chapter 601 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 60144. Voluntary information-sharing system
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a confidential
voluntary information-sharing system, in accordance with the
recommendations provided under section 10 of the PIPES Act of 2016,
that--
``(1) is a comprehensive, systematic, and integrated
structure for--
``(A) gathering, evaluating, and quantifying
critical pipeline safety data and information; and
``(B) sharing recommended remediation measures and
lessons learned across the pipeline industry in an
efficient and confidential manner;
``(2) will encourage the voluntary sharing of pipeline
safety data and information to improve the safety of pipeline
facilities; and
``(3) may not be used in relation to the enforcement of
requirements under this chapter.
``(b) Governance.--
``(1) Governing board.--
``(A) Establishment.--Not later than one year after
the date of enactment of the Pipeline Safety
Authorization Act of 2026, the Administrator of the
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
shall appoint a governing board for the VIS in
accordance with this paragraph, after consulting with
public, government, and private pipeline safety
stakeholders.
``(B) Composition of the board.--The governing
board shall be comprised of 15 members and shall
represent a balanced cross-section of pipeline safety
stakeholders as follows:
``(i) 5 individuals shall be
representatives of departments, agencies, or
instrumentalities of the Federal Government and
of the States and territories, one of which
shall be the Administrator.
``(ii) 5 individuals shall be
representatives of the gas or hazardous liquid
industries, such as operators, trade
associations, inspection technology, coating,
and cathodic protection vendors, and pipeline
inspection organizations.
``(iii) 5 individuals shall be
representatives of general public safety
advocacy organizations, such as pipeline safety
and environmental advocacy groups, labor and
worker safety representatives, and the general
public.
``(C) Board terms.--Each member of the governing
board shall be appointed for three years, with the
terms of five of the members expiring each year. The
term of at least one and not more than two members
described in each of clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of
subparagraph (B) shall expire each year. In the initial
appointment, terms of one, two, and three years shall
be established to allow the terms of five members to
expire thereafter each year. Each member may be
reappointed for consecutive three-year terms.
``(D) Co-chairs.--The governing board shall be co-
chaired by the Administrator, who shall appoint as co-
chairs, with advice and consent of the governing board,
a member appointed under each of clauses (ii) and (iii)
of subparagraph (B). The co-chairs shall be jointly
responsible for organizing and conducting meetings of
the governing board.
``(E) Authority.--The governing board shall make
decisions by a super-majority, defined as two-thirds
plus one of the governing board members, and shall have
the authority to--
``(i) govern and provide strategic
oversight of the VIS;
``(ii) develop and make public governance
documents, including a charter that describes
the scope of the authority and objectives of
the governing board;
``(iii) select a third-party data manager
with expertise in data protection, aggregation,
and analytics;
``(iv) approve the criteria and procedures
governing how the third-party data manager will
receive, secure, and accept for inclusion in
the VIS pipeline safety data and information;
``(v) establish and appoint members to
issue analysis teams;
``(vi) collaborate with the issue analysis
teams to--
``(I) identify the issues and
topics to be analyzed by the issue
analysis teams; and
``(II) specify the type of pipeline
safety data and information that the
issue analysis teams need to analyze
such issues and topics;
``(vii) determine the information to be
accepted for inclusion in, and shared using,
the VIS;
``(viii) determine the reports to be
accepted for inclusion in, and shared using,
the VIS;
``(ix) determine which participating
entities are authorized to access information
and reports included in the VIS;
``(x) at least once per year, issue a
public report on VIS processes, membership of
the governing board, issues being investigated
and analyzed, pipeline safety data and
information that the VIS has requested for
submission to the VIS, and safety trends
identified; and
``(xi) perform other functions as the
governing board decides are necessary or
appropriate, consistent with the purpose of the
VIS.
``(F) Federal advisory committee act
inapplicable.--The governing board shall not be subject
to the requirements of chapter 10 of title 5, United
States Code.
``(2) Program management.--The Administrator shall provide
program management and administrative support for the VIS,
including oversight of the third-party data manager.
``(3) Third-party data manager.--The third-party data
manager selected by the governing board shall provide data
management and data oversight services for the VIS, including--
``(A) receiving and securing pipeline safety data
and information submitted to the VIS;
``(B) accepting for inclusion in the VIS such
pipeline safety data and information that meets the
criteria and procedures established by the governing
board under paragraph (1)(E)(iv);
``(C) deidentifying, storing, and managing pipeline
safety data and information that is accepted for
inclusion in the VIS;
``(D) collaborating with the issue analysis teams
to analyze and aggregate pipeline safety data and
information that is accepted for inclusion in the VIS;
``(E) preparing reports as requested by the
governing board regarding the type of pipeline safety
data and information that is included in the VIS; and
``(F) making recommendations to the governing board
regarding the management of pipeline safety data and
information, as appropriate.
``(4) Issue analysis teams.--The issue analysis teams
established by the governing board shall--
``(A) consist of technical and subject matter
experts;
``(B) work with the third-party data manager to