[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 17, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S5090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        COMMENDING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE AND ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 483, and 
the Senate proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 483) commending efforts to promote 
     and enhance public safety on the need for yellow corrugated 
     stainless steel tubing bonding.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the 
preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 483) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 483

       Whereas yellow corrugated stainless steel tubing (referred 
     to in this preamble as ``CSST'') is flexible gas piping used 
     to convey natural gas or propane to household appliances in 
     homes and businesses;
       Whereas since 1990, yellow CSST has been installed in more 
     than 6,000,000 homes and businesses in the United States;
       Whereas field reports and research suggest that if direct 
     or indirect lightning strikes a structure, the risk for 
     electrical arcing between the metal components in a structure 
     with yellow CSST may be reduced by means of equipotential 
     bonding and grounding;
       Whereas proper bonding of CSST is defined in section 7.13.2 
     of the 2009 edition of the NFPA 54: National Fuel Gas Code, 
     and is referenced in info note 2 in section 250.104 of the 
     2011 edition of the NFPA 70: National Electric Code;
       Whereas the National Association of State Fire Marshals 
     supports the proper bonding of yellow CSST to current 
     National Fire Protection Association Code to reduce the 
     possibility of gas leaks and fires from lightning strikes;
       Whereas the National Association of State Fire Marshals is 
     working to educate relevant stakeholders, including fire, 
     building, and housing officials, consumers, homeowners, and 
     construction professionals about the need to properly bond 
     yellow CSST in legacy installations and in all new 
     installations in accordance with the most recent building 
     codes and manufacturer installation instructions;
       Whereas the bonding of yellow CSST in legacy installations 
     is an important public safety matter that merits alerting 
     homeowners, relevant State and local fire, building, and 
     housing officials, and construction professionals such as 
     electricians, contractors, plumbers, inspectors, and home-
     improvement specialists: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends efforts to promote and enhance public safety 
     and consumer awareness on proper bonding of yellow corrugated 
     stainless steel tubing (referred to in this resolution as 
     ``CSST'') as defined in the National Fire Protection 
     Association Code; and
       (2) encourages further educational efforts for the public, 
     relevant building and housing officials, consumers, 
     homeowners, and construction professionals on the need to 
     properly bond yellow CSST retroactively and moving forward in 
     houses that contain the product.

                          ____________________