[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 28, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S607-S608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 247. Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself and Mr. Tester) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 1, to approve 
the Keystone XL Pipeline; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. STUDY ON RESOURCES REQUIRED TO ENSURE SAFE 
                   TRANSPORTATION BY PIPELINE AND RAIL OF 
                   PETROLEUM PRODUCTS.

       (a) Study Required.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation and the 
     Administrator of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
     Administration (PHMSA) shall conduct a study on the resources 
     necessary to ensure the safe transportation of crude oil, 
     petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and 
     related products, including by rail and pipeline. The study 
     shall focus on the following priorities:
       (A) Ensuring the safe transportation of crude oil, 
     petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and 
     related products by rail and pipeline.
       (B) Ensuring PHMSA has the necessary personnel and other 
     resources, including access to new and emerging technologies, 
     to properly monitor and regulate the transportation of crude 
     oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, 
     and related products by rail and pipeline.
       (2) Scope.--The study required under this subsection shall 
     include the following elements:
       (A) An examination of the current and projected resources 
     and personnel at the Department of Transportation and PHMSA 
     that are or will be dedicated to regulating, monitoring, and 
     ensuring the overall safe transportation of crude oil, 
     petroleum products,

[[Page S608]]

     natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by 
     rail and pipeline.
       (B) A determination of the appropriate manpower personnel, 
     resources, and funding requirements for all Department and 
     Administration elements that do or are expected to play a 
     significant role in regulating, monitoring, and ensuring the 
     overall safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, 
     natural gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by 
     rail and pipeline.
       (C) An assessment and description of the personnel, 
     resources, and funding needs for each State, and a 
     description of the State, local, and tribal resources and 
     personnel that are dedicated to performing the tasks 
     described in subparagraph (B).
       (D) The development and use of technology for each of the 
     Department and Administration elements involved in 
     regulating, monitoring, or otherwise ensuring the overall 
     safe transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, natural 
     gas, natural gas liquids, and related products by rail and 
     pipeline, including whether the elements need additional 
     technological assets and how best to acquire needed 
     additional technological assets.
       (b) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the 
     Secretary of Transportation and the PHMSA Administrator, in 
     conjunction with the heads of other Federal agencies, as 
     appropriate, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees a report on the study conducted under subsection 
     (a).
       (2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following elements:
       (A) The findings of the study conducted under subsection 
     (a).
       (B) Input from other Federal agencies that have any 
     significant role in the safe transportation of crude oil, 
     petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and 
     related products by rail and pipeline.
       (C) A description of any impending changes to regulations 
     or policy that may have an effect on personnel, resources, or 
     funding or that would otherwise impact the ability of the 
     Department and the Administration to meet the basic standards 
     necessary to properly monitor and regulate the transportation 
     of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas 
     liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline.
       (D) Recommendations for enhancing safety for the transport 
     of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas 
     liquids, and related products by rail and pipeline, and what 
     resources, personnel, and funding would be required to 
     implement such recommendations.
       (E) An explanation of why the Department or the 
     Administration is not already implementing any of such 
     recommendations.
       (F) Recommendations for additional legislation necessary to 
     implement recommendations contained in the report.
       (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 
     the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 
     the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee 
     on Finance, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on 
     Natural Resources, the Committee on Homeland Security, the 
     Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

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