A House Republican is threatening to oppose long-delayed pipeline safety legislation unless lawmakers include his ideas, including multimillion-dollar penalties for operators that fail to address or report leaks.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said Wednesday he would oppose legislation reauthorizing the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration unless it includes key provisions from the bipartisan Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act, H.R. 6187, which he introduced with Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.).
“We will be keeping a close eye on PHMSA reauthorization,” Fitzpatrick said at a Capitol Hill press conference. “Our demands are basically going to be what’s in the legislation, and we’ll hold up support until that happens.”
The threat comes as House Energy and Commerce lawmakers remain locked in negotiations over their PHMSA reauthorization. Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) has expressed optimism that Republicans and Democrats can reach a compromise after Democrats objected to H.R. 9338, but the committee has yet to release revised legislation or schedule a vote.
