A contentious provision targeting protesters is emerging as a major obstacle to Congress’ long-awaited effort to reauthorize the federal pipeline safety agency.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is leading a Democratic push to remove or modify language from Texas Republican Rep. Randy Weber’s Pipeline Safety Authorization Act of 2026, H.R. 9338, which would broaden the Justice Department’s authority to prosecute people accused of interfering with pipeline operations.
“Many of these projects are highly controversial in the local communities in which they’re supposed to be sited,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “We want to make sure that we are protecting people’s First Amendment ability while, of course, respecting existing federal law.”
The debate unfolded during an Energy and Commerce subcommittee markup Wednesday, where lawmakers advanced Weber’s bill to reauthorize programs at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration through fiscal 2031. Congress has not enacted a full PHMSA reauthorization since 2020.
