I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4700 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize pipeline safety 
programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 16, 2019 
Mr. UPTON (for himself, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. LATTA, Mrs. RODGERS of Wash-
ington, Mr. FLORES, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. OLSON, Mr. 
KINZINGER, Mr. BUCSHON, Mr. GRIFFITH, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. MULLIN, 
Mr. HUDSON, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, and Mr. SHIMKUS) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize 
pipeline safety programs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pipeline Safety Act 
of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for 
the necessary operational expenses of the Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration the following 
amounts: 
(1) $24,215,000 for fiscal year 2020. 
(2) $24,941,450 for fiscal year 2021. 
(b) 
GAS
AND
HAZARDOUS
LIQUID.—Section 
60125(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs 
(A) through (D) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) $160,800,000 for fiscal year 2020, of 
which $10,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $60,000,000 
shall be expended for making grants; and 
‘‘(B) $165,624,000 for fiscal year 2021 of 
which $10,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $61,800,000 
shall be expended for making grants.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraphs 
(A) through (D) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $9,000,000 shall 
be expended for making grants; and 
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‘‘(B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $9,000,000 shall 
be expended for making grants.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘$8,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2019’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$9,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 
through 2021’’. 
(c) 
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE
GRANTS.—Section 
60125(b)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 
through 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2020 through 2021’’. 
(d) PIPELINE SAFETY INFORMATION GRANTS
TO 
COMMUNITIES.—Section 60130(c) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 2(b) of the 
PIPES Act of 2016, the Secretary shall expend 
$1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2019 
to carry out this section’’ and inserting ‘‘section 2(a) of 
the Pipeline Safety Act of 2019, the Secretary shall ex-
pend $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 
2021 to carry out this section’’. 
(e) STATE DAMAGE PREVENTION PROGRAMS.—Sec-
tion 60134(i) of title 49, United States Code is amended 
by striking ‘‘$1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 
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through 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘$2,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2020 through 2021’’. 
(f) ONE-CALL NOTIFICATION PROGRAMS.—Section 
6107 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘$1,058,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 
2019’’ and inserting ‘‘$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2020 through 2021’’. 
SEC. 3. PIPELINE SAFETY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY FOR PIPELINE AND 
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—The Administrator of the 
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Adminis-
tration may appoint qualified candidates to positions 
described in paragraph (2) without regard to sec-
tions 3309 through 3319 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(2) 
APPLICABILITY.—The 
authority 
under 
paragraph (1) applies with respect to candidates for 
any position that would likely allow increased activi-
ties relating to pipeline safety, as determined by the 
Administrator. 
(3) TERMINATION.—The authority to make ap-
pointments under this subsection shall not be avail-
able after September 30, 2021. 
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(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through 
calendar year 2021, the Administrator of the Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shall submit 
to Congress a report on the efforts of the Administration 
to hire women, minorities, and veterans as inspectors since 
January 1, 2012. 
Æ 
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