[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 3, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S1417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1439. Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Menendez)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1407
submitted by Ms. Murkowski and intended to be proposed to the bill S.
2657, to support innovation in advanced geothermal research and
development, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the
table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS OR DETECTORS IN FEDERALLY
ASSISTED HOUSING.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) carbon monoxide alarms are not required by federally
assisted housing programs, when not required by State or
local codes;
(2) numerous federally assisted housing residents have lost
their lives due to carbon monoxide poisoning;
(3) the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning occur
immediately and can result in death in a matter of minutes;
(4) carbon monoxide exposure can cause permanent brain
damage, life-threatening cardiac complications, fetal death
or miscarriage, and death, among other harmful health
conditions;
(5) carbon monoxide poisoning is especially dangerous for
unborn babies, children, elderly individuals, and individuals
with cardiovascular disease, among others with chronic health
conditions;
(6) the majority of the 4,600,000 families receiving
Federal housing assistance are families with young children,
elderly individuals, or individuals with disabilities, making
them especially vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning;
(7) more than 400 people die and 50,000 additional people
visit the emergency room annually as a result of carbon
monoxide poisoning;
(8) carbon monoxide poisoning is entirely preventable and
early detection is possible with the use of carbon monoxide
alarms;
(9) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns
that carbon monoxide poisoning is entirely preventable and
recommends the installation of carbon monoxide alarms;
(10) the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes of
the Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends
the installation of carbon monoxide alarms as a best practice
to keep families and individuals safe and to protect health;
and
(11) in order to safeguard the health and well-being of
tenants in federally assisted housing, the Federal Government
should consider best practices for primary prevention of
carbon monoxide-related incidents.
(b) Public Housing and Tenant- and Project-based
Assistance.--The United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 3(a) (42 U.S.C. 1437a(a)), by adding at the
end the following:
``(8) Carbon monoxide alarms.--Each public housing agency
shall ensure that carbon monoxide alarms or detectors are
installed in each dwelling unit in public housing owned or
operated by the public housing agency in a manner that meets
or exceeds--
``(A) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(B) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''; and
(2) in section 8 (42 U.S.C. 1437f)--
(A) by inserting after subsection (i) the following:
``(j) Carbon Monoxide Alarms.--Each owner of a dwelling
unit receiving project-based assistance under this section
shall ensure that carbon monoxide alarms or detectors are
installed in the dwelling unit in a manner that meets or
exceeds--
``(1) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(2) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''; and
(B) in subsection (o), by adding at the end the following:
``(21) Carbon monoxide alarms.--Each dwelling unit
receiving tenant-based assistance or project-based assistance
under this subsection shall have carbon monoxide alarms or
detectors installed in the dwelling unit in a manner that
meets or exceeds--
``(A) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(B) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''.
(c) Supportive Housing for the Elderly.--Section 202(j) of
the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q(j)) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(9) Carbon monoxide alarms.--Each owner of a dwelling
unit assisted under this section shall ensure that carbon
monoxide alarms or detectors are installed in the dwelling
unit in a manner that meets or exceeds--
``(A) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(B) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''.
(d) Supportive Housing for Persons With Disabilities.--
Section 811(j) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013(j)) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(7) Carbon monoxide alarms.--Each dwelling unit assisted
under this section shall contain installed carbon monoxide
alarms or detectors that meet or exceed--
``(A) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(B) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''.
(e) Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS.--Section
856 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act
(42 U.S.C. 12905) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(i) Carbon Monoxide Alarms.--Each dwelling unit assisted
under this subtitle shall contain installed carbon monoxide
alarms or detectors that meet or exceed--
``(1) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(2) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''.
(f) Rural Housing.--Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42
U.S.C. 1471 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 514 (42 U.S.C. 1484), by adding at the end
the following:
``(j) Housing and related facilities constructed with loans
under this section shall contain installed carbon monoxide
alarms or detectors that meet or exceed--
``(1) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(2) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''; and
(2) in section 515 (42 U.S.C. 1485)--
(A) in subsection (m), by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The
Secretary shall establish''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Housing and related facilities rehabilitated or
repaired with amounts received under a loan made or insured
under this section shall contain installed carbon monoxide
alarms or detectors that meet or exceed--
``(A) the standards described in chapters 9 and 11 of the
2018 publication of the International Fire Code, as published
by the International Code Council; or
``(B) any other standards as may be adopted by the
Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, including any relevant updates to the
International Fire Code, through a notice published in the
Federal Register.''.
(g) Guidance.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development shall provide guidance to public housing agencies
(as defined in section 3(b)(6) of the United States Housing
Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6)) on how to educate tenants
on health hazards in the home, including to carbon monoxide
poisoning, lead poisoning, asthma induced by housing-related
allergens, and other housing-related preventable outcomes, to
help advance primary prevention and prevent future deaths and
other harms.
(h) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on the date that is 2 years after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(i) No Preemption.--Nothing in the amendments made by this
section shall be construed to preempt or limit the
applicability of any State or local law relating to the
installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide alarms or
detectors in housing that requires standards that are more
stringent than the standards described in the amendments made
by this section.
(j) Study.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,
in consultation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission,
shall conduct a study and issue a publicly available report
on requiring carbon monoxide alarms or detectors in federally
assisted housing that is not covered in the amendments made
by this section.
(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out
this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
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