RESPONSE Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-546
Sponsor: Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Accidents
Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Emergency planning and evacuation
First responders and emergency personnel
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Public-private cooperation
Railroads
Rural conditions and development
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

RESPONSE Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council.
 
Directs the Subcommittee to evaluate the following topics and develop recommendations, as appropriate, for improving emergency responder training and resource allocation for hazardous materials incidents involving railroads:
 
 
 the quality and application of training for local emergency first responders related to rail hazardous materials incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and small communities near railroads;
 
the effectiveness of funding levels related to training local emergency responders for rail hazardous materials incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and small communities;
 
a strategy for integration of commodity flow studies, mapping, and access platforms for local emergency responders and how to increase the rate of access to the individual responder in existing or emerging communications technology;
 
 the need for emergency response plans for rail, similar to existing law related to maritime and stationary facility emergency response plans for hazardous materials;
 
 the need for a rail hazardous materials incident database;
 
 increasing access to relevant, useful, and timely information for the local emergency responder for training purposes and in the event of a rail hazardous materials incident; and 
 
 determining the most appropriate agencies and offices for the implementation of the recommendations.
 
 
Terminates the Subcommittee not later than four years after this Act's enactment, subject to one year extensions.
 
 
 
 

action_date: 2015-07-21
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 

RESPONSE Act of 2015

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council.
 
The RESPONSE Subcommittee shall evaluate the following topics and develop recommendations, as appropriate, for improving emergency responder training and resource allocation for hazardous materials incidents involving railroads:
 
 
 the quality and application of training for local emergency first responders related to rail hazardous materials (hazmat) incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and small communities near railroads;
 
the effectiveness of funding levels related to training local emergency responders for rail hazmat incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and small communities;
 
a strategy for integration of commodity flow studies, mapping, and access platforms for local emergency responders and how to increase the rate of access to the individual responder in existing or emerging communications technology;
 
 the need for emergency response plans for rail, similar to existing law related to maritime and stationary facility emergency hazmat response plans;
 
 the need for a rail hazmat incident database;
 
 increasing access to relevant, useful, and timely information for the local emergency responder for training purposes and in the event of a rail hazmat incident; and 
 
 determining the most appropriate agencies and offices for the implementation of the recommendations.
 
 
The RESPONSE Subcommittee shall terminate within four years after this Act's enactment, unless given one-year extensions.
 
 
 
 

action_date: 2016-05-09
text: 

RESPONSE Act of 2016

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council.
 
The RESPONSE Subcommittee shall develop recommendations, as appropriate, for improving emergency first responder training and resource allocation for hazardous materials (hazmat) incidents involving railroads after evaluating the following topics:
 
 
 the quality and application of training for local emergency first responders related to rail hazmat incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and small communities near railroads;
 
the effectiveness of funding levels related to training local emergency first responders for rail hazmat incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency first responders and small communities near railroads; and
 
the strategy for integrating commodity flow studies, mapping, rail and hazmat databases and other relevant data for local emergency first responders and increasing the rate of access to the individual responder in existing or emerging communications technology.
 
 
The RESPONSE Subcommittee shall terminate within four years after this bill's enactment, unless given a one-year extension.
 
 
 
 

action_date: 2016-12-16
text: 

RESPONSE Act of 2016

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council.
 
The RESPONSE Subcommittee shall develop recommendations for improving emergency responder training and resource allocation for hazardous materials (hazmat) incidents involving railroads after evaluating the following topics:
 
 
 the quality and application of training for state and local emergency responders related to rail hazmat incidents, including training for emergency responders serving small communities near railroads;
 
the availability and effectiveness of federal, state, local, and nongovernmental funding levels related to training emergency responders for rail hazmat incidents, including emergency responders serving small communities near railroads; and
 
the strategy for integrating commodity flow studies, mapping, and rail and hazmat databases for state and local emergency responders and increasing the rate of access to the individual responder in existing or emerging communications technology.
 
 
The RESPONSE Subcommittee shall terminate within 90 days after the council submits a report approving the RESPONSE Subcommittee recommendations.
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-12-16
text: Became Public Law No: 114-321.
action_date: 2016-12-16
text: Became Public Law No: 114-321.
action_date: 2016-12-16
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2016-12-16
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2016-12-14
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2016-12-14
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2016-12-12
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2016-12-10
text: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 546 by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2016-12-10
text: Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 546 by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2016-12-10
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7104)
action_date: 2016-11-30
text: Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
action_date: 2016-11-29
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-11-29
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text of measure as passed: CR H6319-6320)
action_date: 2016-11-29
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text of measure as passed: CR H6319-6320)
action_date: 2016-11-29
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 546.
action_date: 2016-11-29
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6319-6321)
action_date: 2016-11-29
text: Mr. Denham moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 632.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 114-808.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 114-808.
action_date: 2016-09-14
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2016-09-14
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-05-10
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2016-05-10
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2016-05-10
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2016-05-09
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2016-05-09
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2016-05-09
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S2649)
action_date: 2015-07-21
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 155.
action_date: 2015-07-21
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson without amendment. With written report No. 114-85.
action_date: 2015-07-21
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson without amendment. With written report No. 114-85.
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in Senate

Enacted as: number: 114-321