[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 14, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S3701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Frist, Mr. Burns, 
        and Mr. Breaux):
  S. 795. A bill to amend the Fastener Quality Act to strengthen the 
protection against the sale of mismarked, misrepresented, and 
counterfeit fasteners and eliminate unnecessary requirements, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.


            the fastener quality act amendments act of 1999

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Fastener Quality 
Act Amendments Act of 1999. This bill represents major revisions to the 
original Fastener Quality Act as passed in 1990.
  Every year billions of special high-strength bolts, screws, and other 
fasteners are sold in the United States which carry grade 
identification markings. The markings indicate that the fasteners 
conform to specifications set by consensus standards organizations. 
These grade-marked fasteners are used in critical applications like 
aircraft, automobiles, and highway bridges where failure of a fastener 
could jeopardize public safety.
  In 1998, the Congress passed legislation (P.L. 105-234) delaying 
implementation of the Fastener Quality Act to allow the Secretary of 
Commerce to conduct a review of changes in fastener manufacturing 
processes and the existence of other regulatory programs covering 
fasteners. The review was submitted to the Congress on February 24, 
1999, in coordination with several other Federal agencies which have 
public safety responsibilities including the Defense Industrial Supply 
Center, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal 
Aviation Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
  This bill reflects the findings and recommendations of that report. 
The bill's content further represents discussions between both the 
Senate Commerce Committee and the House Science Committee, the 
Department of Commerce, and private industry representatives. Mr. 
President, let me note that if these revisions to the Fastener Quality 
Act are not implemented into law by June 24 of this year, the Secretary 
of Commerce will have no other choice but to implement the Act as 
originally passed in 1990. Therefore, several of the nation's key 
industries may be brought to a halt due to lack of certified fasteners. 
The impact of such a slow down would be disastrous both economically 
and in terms of continuous flow of products and services to maintain 
our current way of life.
  The bill defines fasteners as ``a metallic screw, nut, bolt, or stud 
having internal or external threads, with a nominal diameter of one-
fourth inch or greater, or a load-indicating washer, that is through-
hardened or represented as meeting through-hardening, and that is grade 
identification marked or represented as meeting a consensus standard 
that requires grade identification marking.'' This definition 
substantially reduces the scope of covered fasteners under the Act.
  The bill also establishes a hotline in which the public may notify 
the Department of Commerce of alleged violations of the Fastener 
Quality Act. It requires record keeping for a period of five years, 
instead of the previous ten years, via both traditional and electronic 
means.
  To address current inventory concerns, the Act will be applicable 
only to fasteners fabricated 180 days after the enactment of this bill.
  Furthermore, in cases of fasteners manufactured to a consensus 
standard or standards that require end-of-line testing, the testing is 
to be performed by an accredited laboratory. This accredited laboratory 
requirement shall not take effect until two years after enactment of 
this Act.
  Therefore, I, along with my co-sponsors, urge the members of this 
body to support this bill and to provide the needed legislation which 
will allow several key industries in this country continuous operation 
in a safe and responsible manner.
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