Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko (D-NY) announced today that the Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee will hold a markup on Thursday, March 12, at 9 a.m. in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The Subcommittee will mark up H.R. 6160, a bill to extend the Chemical Facility Antiterrorism Standards (CFATS) Program, and H.R. 5544, the American Innovation and Manufacturing Leadership Act, which would phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
“More than 134 million Americans live in vulnerability zones around our nation’s chemical facilities, putting them at risk from terrorism, intentional acts and extreme weather impacts. The Chemical Facility Antiterrorism Standards, which provide important protections to these communities, will expire next month unless we act," said Pallone and Tonko. “Likewise, our bipartisan legislation ensuring an orderly phase down of HFCs is a win for Americans: it creates manufacturing jobs and positions American companies to lead a global transition away from these powerful greenhouse gases to climate-friendlier technologies. There is broad consensus among industry and environmental groups alike that Congress should enact this common-sense legislation, and we look forward to moving it."
The Subcommittee will consider the following bills:
H.R. 6160, a bill to extend the Chemical Facility Antiterrorism Standards Program, introduced by Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Pallone and Tonko, would extend the authorization for the CFATS Program for 18 months.
H.R. 5544, the American Innovation and Manufacturing Leadership Act, introduced in the House by Tonko and Reps. Pete Olson (R-TX), Scott Peters (D-CA) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would phase down the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent over 15 years. The legislation directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement an allowance allocation and trading program to do so, and to establish standards governing the management of HFCs used as refrigerants, including to recover and reclaim used HFCs. It further authorizes EPA to establish schedules for specific sectors to transition to next-generation technologies.
Information for this markup, including the Committee Memorandum, electronic copies of the legislation and any amendments, and a link to the live webcast will be posted HERE as they become available.
