The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TEXT OF AMENDMENTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S607-S608 on Jan. 28, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TEXT OF AMENDMENTS
SA 247. Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself and Mr. Tester) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 1, to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. STUDY ON RESOURCES REQUIRED TO ENSURE SAFE
TRANSPORTATION BY PIPELINE AND RAIL OF
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS.
(a) Study Required.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) shall conduct a study on the resources necessary to ensure the safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products, including by rail and pipeline. The study shall focus on the following priorities:
(A) Ensuring the safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline.
(B) Ensuring PHMSA has the necessary personnel and other resources, including access to new and emerging technologies, to properly monitor and regulate the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline.
(2) Scope.--The study required under this subsection shall include the following elements:
(A) An examination of the current and projected resources and personnel at the Department of Transportation and PHMSA that are or will be dedicated to regulating, monitoring, and ensuring the overall safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline.
(B) A determination of the appropriate manpower personnel, resources, and funding requirements for all Department and Administration elements that do or are expected to play a significant role in regulating, monitoring, and ensuring the overall safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline.
(C) An assessment and description of the personnel, resources, and funding needs for each State, and a description of the State, local, and tribal resources and personnel that are dedicated to performing the tasks described in subparagraph (B).
(D) The development and use of technology for each of the Department and Administration elements involved in regulating, monitoring, or otherwise ensuring the overall safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline, including whether the elements need additional technological assets and how best to acquire needed additional technological assets.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation and the PHMSA Administrator, in conjunction with the heads of other Federal agencies, as appropriate, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the study conducted under subsection
(a).
(2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:
(A) The findings of the study conducted under subsection
(a).
(B) Input from other Federal agencies that have any significant role in the safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline.
(C) A description of any impending changes to regulations or policy that may have an effect on personnel, resources, or funding or that would otherwise impact the ability of the Department and the Administration to meet the basic standards necessary to properly monitor and regulate the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline.
(D) Recommendations for enhancing safety for the transport of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline, and what resources, personnel, and funding would be required to implement such recommendations.
(E) An explanation of why the Department or the Administration is not already implementing any of such recommendations.
(F) Recommendations for additional legislation necessary to implement recommendations contained in the report.
(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
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