Military Environmental Responsibility Act

Bill: 112-hr-332
Sponsor: Rep. Filner, Bob [D-CA-51]
Introduced: 2011-01-19 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Appropriations
Civil actions and liability
Defense spending
Department of Defense
Department of Energy
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Government liability
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Intergovernmental relations
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Pollution liability
Radioactive wastes and releases
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Military Environmental Responsibility Act - Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and defense-related agencies (the Department of Energy [DOE], the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [NRC], the Office of Naval Nuclear Reactors, and any others as designated by the President) to fully comply with designated federal and state environmental laws, including those related to public health and safety, to the same extent as any other entities subject to such laws. Waives any immunity of the United States with respect to such laws as applied to DOD and any defense-related agency. Provides for administrative enforcement actions. 
Requires the Secretary of Defense, for each weapon system for which congressional budget justification is required, to ensure that all development and procurement decisions comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. 
Repeals prohibitions: (1) on the use of certain military appropriation accounts for the payment of fines and penalties for environmental noncompliance; and (2) forbidding the use of defense funds to conduct treatment, storage, or disposal activities at sites designated under the Formerly Utilized Site Remedial Action Program.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2011-02-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.
action_date: 2011-02-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.
action_date: 2011-01-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E101)
action_date: 2011-01-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-01-19
text: Introduced in House