U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) have introduced the Pipeline Integrity, Protection, and Enhancement for Leveraging Investments in the Nation’s Energy to assure Safety, or PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025. This bipartisan legislation aims to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program for five years with $1.65 billion in funding.
The proposed bill seeks to reduce fatalities and injuries related to pipelines, support new safety technologies, strengthen inspections and enforcement, and promote public education about PHMSA’s role. It also calls for updates to PHMSA regulations to address new pipeline materials, gases, operating practices, and cybersecurity threats affecting energy infrastructure.
Several industry groups have expressed support for the legislation, including the American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, American Public Gas Association, GPA Midstream Association, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, and Liquid Energy Pipeline Association.
Senator Cruz stated: “Americans have made it clear that they need safe, affordable, and dependable energy. PHMSA has no small task, overseeing over 3 million miles of oil, natural gas, and other hazardous liquid pipelines across this country, a significant portion of which are located in Texas. As the energy capital of the world, millions of jobs in Texas depend on the safe and reliable movement of energy.The PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025 ensures oversight of the pipeline system is governed by appropriate, data-driven, and cost-effective standards. I am proud to partner with Ranking Member Cantwell and Senators Young and Peters on this bipartisan effort and hope to see it become law.”
Senator Cantwell commented: “We just had the deadliest two-year period in pipeline safety since 2015. Clearly, we need a more proactive approach to the safe transportation of our nation’s energy products, including the 46,000 miles of pipeline in Washington state. This bill does just that by increasing civil penalties by 50 percent, eliminating gaps in hydrogen and carbon dioxide pipeline requirements, and requiring permanent cybersecurity standards for pipeline operators.”
Senator Young said: “America’s energy independence requires a strong and secure pipeline infrastructure. The PIPES Act will reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to ensure our pipeline ecosystem is safe and efficient, allowing the U.S. to meet our energy demands of today and tomorrow.”
Senator Peters added: “Pipeline safety is critical to protecting both our environment and our economy. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this commonsense, bipartisan bill to strengthen the safety and security of our nation’s pipelines and help prevent accidents before they occur.”
PHMSA oversees more than three million miles of pipelines transporting oil, natural gas, and hazardous liquids across the United States. Its previous authorization expired at the end of fiscal year 2023; as a result its programs have operated without congressional authorization for two years.
