WASHINGTON -- Chemical facilities across the country could be required to use safer technologies and processes and could be sued for security violations under legislation approved by Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee late Tuesday (see GSN, Feb. 23).
In an 18-11 party-line vote, Democrats approved a bill that would extend and expand the Homeland Security Department's authority to regulate security at places across the country that sell, store or process chemicals.
Democrats defeated three GOP amendments that would have changed some contentious provisions in the bill.
An amendment from Representative Mark Souder (R-Ind.) that would have limited lawsuits against chemical facilities or DHS was defeated in a party-line, 10-16 vote. Another amendment from Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas) to limit lawsuits was defeated by an 11-17 party-line vote.
And Democrats beat back an amendment from Representative Paul Broun (R-Ga.) that would have stripped the provision allowing lawsuits from the bill. It was defeated by an 11-17 party-line vote.
Democrats adopted, in an 18-11 party-line vote, an amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson.
The bill now goes to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Homeland Security Department's current authority to regulate chemical facilities expires after Oct. 3.