On the recordJune 8, 2016
I thank the Chair for the time to express my support for the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2016. This is the PIPES Act of 2016. The United States has the largest network of energy pipelines in the world--over 2.6 million miles of pipe. Pipelines are a critical part of our energy infrastructure, with over 64 percent of our energy being transported by our pipes within this country. The sustained oversight of the Department of Transportation's pipeline safety programs is critical for pipelines to continue to safely transport our energy products. This bill was developed in a bipartisan manner over the past several years. My subcommittee held a number of hearings and roundtables to hear from stakeholders on the need for reauthorization. On April 20, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved our bill. Similarly, the Energy and Commerce Committee, with which we share jurisdiction, passed its version on April 27. Since then, both House committees have worked on a bipartisan basis to meld this version with the Senate's version, which passed last December. This collaborative, constructive process has resulted in the bill we are considering today, which we believe is a solid safety improvement.…
