[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4397 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4397

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
to provide for caches of emergency response equipment to be used in the 
 event of an accident involving rail tank cars transporting hazardous 
               material, crude oil, or flammable liquids.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 28, 2016

   Mr. Kind introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
to provide for caches of emergency response equipment to be used in the 
 event of an accident involving rail tank cars transporting hazardous 
               material, crude oil, or flammable liquids.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rail Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. PREPOSITIONING OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE EQUIPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
shall develop and preposition caches of emergency response equipment to 
facilitate the rapid deployment of resources needed to reduce damage to 
life, property, and the environment in the event of an accident 
involving rail tank cars transporting hazardous material, crude oil, or 
flammable liquids.
    (b) Contents.--The caches described in subsection (a) may include--
            (1) firefighting equipment;
            (2) fire suppression agents; and
            (3) any other safety equipment considered necessary by the 
        Administrator to respond to railroad accidents involving 
        hazardous material, crude oil, or flammable liquids.
    (c) Location.--The caches described in subsection (a) shall be--
            (1) located along rail routes over which a high volume of 
        high-hazard trains operate; and
            (2) strategically prepositioned along such routes in a 
        manner that lowers the response time of firefighters to--
                    (A) fight fires involving crude oil and other 
                flammable liquids; and
                    (B) prevent such fires from spreading.
    (d) Consultation.--In determining the contents of the caches under 
subsection (b) and the location of the caches under subsection (c), the 
Administrator shall consult with the Secretary of Transportation, 
appropriate State and local governments, railroad carriers, and local 
first responders.
    (e) Fee Collection.--The Administrator may collect fees from 
railroad carriers, as appropriate, to develop and preposition the 
caches under subsection (a).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
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