Co-Sponsor Added to HR 1623 – CFATS Propane Exception

Yesterday, Rep Latta (R,OH) was added as a cosponsor to HR 1623, a bill that would add certain commercial propane storage facilities to the list of facilities excluded from the reporting requirements of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program. Latta is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to which this bill was assigned for secondary consideration. Latta is the first cosponsor of the bill to be assigned to that Committee, so there may now be sufficient influence to see the bill considered there. I still do not believe that the bill would be favorably considered by the Committee, though it is more probable in this Committee because it is less closely tied to the CFATS program.

There is still no cosponsor on the House Homeland Security Committee which has primary consideration responsibility. The Homeland Security Committee would be least likely to pass the bill because of its adverse effect on the CFATS program.