Recent Developments

• Date: 01 February 2016

46 ELR 10158 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTER 2-2016

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from December 1, 2015, through December

31, 2015. Entries are arranged by bill number, with Senate bills listed rst. “In the Congress” covers all environment-related

bills that are introduced, reported out of committee, passed by either house, or signed by the president. “In the Congress”

also covers all environmental treaties ratied by the Senate. is material is updated monthly. For archived materials, visit

http://elr.info/legislative/congressional-update/archive.

Public Laws

S. 611 (water), which would amend the

SDWA to reauthorize technical a ssis-

tance to small public water systems, wa s

signed into law by President Obama

on December 11, 2015. 161 Cong. Rec.

D1322, Pub. L. No. 114-98 (daily ed.

Dec. 15, 2015).

H.R. 208 (natura l resources), which

seeks to improve the disaster assistance

programs of the Small Business Admin-

istration, was signed by the president

on November 25, 2015. 161 Cong. Rec.

D1259, Pub. L. No. 114-88 (daily ed.

Dec. 1, 2015).

H.R. 1321 (water), which amends the

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

to prohibit the manufacture and in-

troduction or delivery for introduction

into interstate commerce of rinse-o

cosmetics containing intentionally add-

ed plastic microbeads, was signed by

the President on December 28, 2015.

Pub. L. No. 114-114 (Dec. 28, 2015).

H.R. 2029 (govern ance), which

makes appropriations for militar y con-

struction, the Depart ment of Veterans

Aairs, a nd related agencies for the

scal year ending September 30, 2016,

extends tax cred its for solar and wind,

and lifts the ba n on crude oil exports,

was signed by the President on De-

cember 18, 2015. Pub. L. No. 114-113

(Dec. 18, 2015).

Chamber Action

S. 209 (energy), which would amend

the Indian Tribal Energy Development

and Self-Determination Act of 2005,

was passed by the Senate. 161 Cong.

Rec. S8617 (daily ed. Dec. 10, 2015).

S. 2152 (energy), which would estab-

lish a comprehensive U.S. government

policy to encourage the eorts of coun-

tries in sub-Saha ran Africa to develop

an appropriate mix of power solutions,

including renewable energy, for more

broadly distributed electricity access

in order to support poverty reduction,

promote development outcomes, and

drive economic growth, was passed

by the Senate. 161 Cong. Rec. S8861

(daily ed. Dec. 18, 2015).

S.J. Res. 23 (air), which would provide

for congressional disapproval under

Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, of

a rule submitted by EPA relating to

“Standards of Performance for Green-

house Gas Emissions From New,

Modied, and Reconstruc ted Station-

ary Sources: Elect ric Utility Generating

Units,” was passed by the Senate.161

Cong. Rec. H8678 (daily ed. Dec. 1,

2015).

H.R. 8 (energy), which would seek to

modernize energy infrastructure, build

a 21st century energy and manufactu r-

ing workforce, bolster America’s energy

security and diplomacy, and promote

energy eciency and government ac-

countability, was passed by the House.

161 Cong. Rec. H8983 (daily ed. Dec.

3, 2015).

H.R. 1321 (water), which would

prohibit the sale or distribution of

cosmetics containing synthetic plastic

microbeads, was passed by the House.

161 Cong. Rec. H9021 (daily ed. Dec.

7, 2015).

H.R. 1321 (water), which would

amend the Federal Food, Drug, and

Cosmetic Act to prohibit the manufac-

ture and introduction or delivery for

introduction into interstate commerce

of rinse-o cosmetics containing inten-

tionally added plastic microbeads, was

passed by the Senate. 161 Cong. Rec.

S8861 (daily ed. Dec. 18, 2015).

H.R. 2029 (governa nce), which would

make appropriations for military con-

struction, the Department of Veterans

Aairs, a nd related agencies for the

scal year ending September 30, 2016,

extend tax credits for solar and wind,

and lift the ban on crude oil ex ports,

was passed by the House. 161 Cong.

Rec. H10696 (daily ed. Dec. 18, 2015),

and the Senate, clearing the mea sure for

the President. 161 Cong. Rec. S8844

(daily ed. Dec. 18, 2015).

H.R. 2130 (land use), which would

provide legal certaint y to property own-

ers along the Red River in Texas, was

passed by the House. 161 Cong. Rec.

H9173 (daily ed. Dec. 9, 2015).

H.R. 2270 (land use), which would

redesignate the Nisqually National

Wildlife Refuge in t he state of Wash-

ington as the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually

National Wildlife Refuge and establish

the Medicine Creek Treaty National

Memorial within the wildlife refuge,

was passed by the Senate. 161 Cong.

Rec. S8640 (daily ed. Dec. 14, 2015).

Copyright © 2016 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.