Second Bipartisan Chemical Security Bill Clears House Committee

  • Jun 24, 2011

Just weeks after the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a seven-year extension of the current chemical security standards, the House Homeland Security Committee recently followed suit, approving H.R. 901 by a bipartisan vote of 26 to 5.

Eight Democrats voted in favor of the legislation: Rep. Hansen Clarke (MI), Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX), Rep. Kathy Hochul (NY), Rep. William Keating (MA), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Rep. Laura Richardson (CA), Rep. Cedric Richmond (LA) and Rep. Jackie Speier (CA).

SOCMA welcomed the committee’s endorsement of the legislation which would extend the existing Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) by seven years to 2018 and give chemical facilities and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) time to more fully implement the regulation, rather than significantly altering the existing rules. During the vote, committee member Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), who introduced the bill, mentioned SOCMA’s opposition to including a provision on inherently safer technology (IST), which would require chemical companies to substitute materials that DHS deems hazardous with materials they consider less harmful.

"We are pleased with the expeditious approval of H.R. 908 and H.R. 901 by their respective committees and encourage House leadership to act swiftly to bring one of these chemical security bills to the floor for a vote," said Bill Allmond, SOCMA’s Vice President of Government Relations.

"SOCMA also appreciates the return of bipartisanship to this committee to ensure long-term chemical security under these standards, something that had been absent since 2006," Allmond added. "SOCMA worked hard with both sides of the aisle to encourage continued support of these comprehensive standards."

Allmond said it’s now up to House leadership to work out a compromise between the two security bills or to decide which one will advance to a vote by the full House of Representatives.

During the proceedings, the committee also approved by voice vote the following SOCMA-supported amendments to H.R. 901:
• An amendment on personnel surety, similar to that which was adopted to H.R. 908 by the House Energy and Commerce Committee
• An amendment requiring a report on harmonization between CFATS and the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)
• An amendment setting deadlines for DHS to follow up with facilities regarding their security vulnerability assessment or site security plan 180 days after DHS receives it

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.