Recent Developments

• Date: 01 April 2015

4-2015 NEWS & ANALYSIS 45 ELR 10369

Chamber Action

S. 1 (energy), which would approve the

Keystone XL Pipeline, was passed by

the House, clearing the measu re for the

president. 161 Cong. Rec. H937 (daily

ed. Feb. 11, 2015).

S. Res. 95 (wildli fe), which would

designate March 3, 2015, as “World

Wildlife Day,” was passed by the Sen-

ate. 161 Cong. Rec. S1260 (daily ed.

Mar. 3, 2015).

H.R. 212 (water), which would amend

the SDWA to provide for the assess-

ment and management of the risk of

cyanotoxins in drin king water, was

passed by the House. 161 Cong. Rec.

H1110 (daily ed. Feb. 24, 2015).

H.R. 527 (governanc e), which would

amend the Regulatory Flex ibility Act

to ensure the complete analysis of rule-

makings’ potential impac ts on small

entities, was passed by the House. 161

Cong. Rec. H816 (daily ed. Feb. 5,

2015).

H. Res. 100 (energy), which would

provide for consideration of S. 1, the

bill that would approve the Keystone

XL pipeline, was passe d by the House.

161 Cong. Rec. H937 (daily ed. Feb.

11, 2015).

Committee Action

S. 337 (governance) was reported by

the Committee on Judiciary. S. Rep.

No. 114-4, 161 Cong. Rec. S1031 (daily

ed. Feb. 23, 2015). e bill would

amend FOIA.

H.R. 212 (water) was reported by the

Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H. Rep. No. 114-26, 161 Cong. Rec.

H1112 (daily ed. Feb. 24, 2015). e bill

would amend the SDWA to provide for

the assessment and management of the

risk of cyanotoxins in drinking water.

H.R. 641 (governa nce) was reported

by the Committee on Ways and Means.

H. Rep. No. 114-17, 161 Cong. Rec.

H865 (daily ed. Feb. 9, 2015). e bill

would amend the tax code to make

permanent the special rule for qualied

conservation contributions.

H.R. 749 (land use) was reported by

the Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure. H. Rep. No. 114-30, 161

Cong. Rec. H1367 (daily ed. Feb. 26,

2015). e bill would reauthorize federal

support for passenger rail programs.

H. Res . 78 (govern ance) was re -

ported by the Commit tee on Rules.

H. Rep. No. 114-14, 161 (dail y ed.

Feb. 3, 2015). e bill would pr ovide

for consideration of H.R . 527, which

would a mend the Regu latory Flex-

ibility Act to ensure complete ana lysis

of rule makings’ p otential impac ts on

small entitie s.

H. Res. 100 (energy) was reported by

the Committee on Rules. H. Rep. No.

114-22, 161 Cong. Rec. H915 (daily ed.

Feb. 10, 2015). e bill would provide

for consideration of S. 1, which would

approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Bills Introduced

S. 329 (Mu rphy, D-C onn.) (land

use) would designate certa in segments

of the Far mington River a nd Salmon

Brook in Con necticut as component s

of the Nation al Wild and Scen ic Riv-

ers System. 161 Cong. Rec. S697

(daily ed. Feb. 2, 2015). e bill wa s

referred to the Committee on E nergy

and Natural Re sources.

S. 330 ( Heller, R-Nev.) (gov ernance)

would a mend the Interna l Revenue

Code to make perma nent the specia l

rule f or contr ibutions of qual ied

conser vation contribut ions. 161 Cong.

Rec. S 697 (dai ly ed. Feb. 2, 2 015).

e bill was r eferred to the Commit-

tee on Fi nance .

S. 331 (Crapo, R-Idaho) (energy)

would amend the Radiation Exposu re

Compensation Act to improve compen-

sation for workers involved in uranium

mining. 161 Cong. Rec. S697 (daily ed.

Feb. 2, 2015). e bill was referred to

the Committee on Judiciary.

S. 338 (Burr, R-N.C.) (land use)

would permanently reauthorize the

Land and Water Conservation Fund.

161 Cong. Rec. S697 (daily ed. Feb. 2,

2015).

S. 344 (Benne t, D-Colo.) (gover-

nance) would equalize t he excise tax on

liqueed petroleum gas and liqueed

natural gas. 161 Cong. Rec. S736 (daily

ed. Feb. 3, 2015). e bill was referred

to the Committee on Finance.

S. 345 (Shaheen, D-N.H.) (land

use) would limit the level of premium

subsidy provided by the Federal Crop

Insurance Corporation to agricu ltural

producers. 161 Cong. Rec. S736 (daily

ed. Feb. 3, 2015). e bill was referred

to the Committee on Agriculture, Nu-

trition, and Forestry.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from February 1, 2015, through Februar y 28,

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.

Copyright © 2015 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.