Bills Introduced – 6-18-20

Yesterday with the Senate in Washington and the House still meeting in pro forma session, there were 86 bills introduced. Of those there are three that may receive future coverage in this blog:

HR 7248 To authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes. Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6] 

HR 7264 To make supplemental appropriations for the Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, Homeland Security, Labor, and Commerce for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes. Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]

HR 7265 To improve assistance provided by the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership to small manufacturers in the defense industrial supply chain on matters relating to cybersecurity, and for other purposes. Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] 

HR 7248 appears to be a Republican alternative DOT authorization bill. This bodes ill for the ‘INVEST in America Act” that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee completed marking up yesterday; Graves is the Ranking Member of that Committee. The House will have no problem passing the yet to be introduced Committee bill, but this Republican alternative would seem to indicate that the Committee language will have a hard time passing in the Senate.

I will be watching this bill (and the Committee version) for cybersecurity language for autonomous vehicles, chemical transportation safety issues, and LPG by rail languate.

HR 7264 would appear to be a bill providing additional COVID-19 related funding for the current fiscal year. I will be watching this bill in particular to see if it includes CFATS extension language (current authorization expires on July 23). I will also be watching for cybersecurity language.