Legislation reauthorizes PHMSA’s pipeline safety programs, ensures safe and affordable transport of energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced the Pipeline Integrity, Protection, and Enhancement for Leveraging Investments in the Nation’s Energy to assure Safety, or PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025. The bipartisan pipeline safety reauthorization bill will help ensure the continued safe and secure movement of American energy.

The bill reauthorizes the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program for five years and authorizes $1.65 billion in funding. The legislation includes key measures to reduce pipeline-related fatalities and injuries, advance the development of new pipeline safety technologies, enhance safety inspections and enforcement efforts, and promote education for local communities on PHMSA’s work.

The PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025 also requires PHMSA to update parts of its regulations to account for new pipeline materials, gases, and operating practices. The bill also takes precautions against cybersecurity vulnerabilities that threaten America’s energy infrastructure integrity.

The PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025 has garnered support from organizations including the American Gas Association (AGA), American Petroleum Institute (API), American Public Gas Association (APGA), GPA Midstream Association, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), and the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association (LEPA).

Upon the introduction of the PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025, Sen. Cruz said: “Americans have made it clear that they need safe, affordable, and dependable energy. PHMSA has no small task, overseeing over 3 million miles of oil, natural gas, and other hazardous liquid pipelines across this country, a significant portion of which are located in Texas. As the energy capital of the world, millions of jobs in Texas depend on the safe and reliable movement of energy. The PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025 ensures oversight of the pipeline system is governed by appropriate, data-driven, and cost-effective standards. I am proud to partner with Ranking Member Cantwell and Senators Young and Peters on this bipartisan effort and hope to see it become law.”

Sen. Cantwell said: “We just had the deadliest two-year period in pipeline safety since 2015. Clearly, we need a more proactive approach to the safe transportation of our nation’s energy products, including the 46,000 miles of pipeline in Washington state. This bill does just that by increasing civil penalties by 50 percent, eliminating gaps in hydrogen and carbon dioxide pipeline requirements, and requiring permanent cybersecurity standards for pipeline operators.”

Sen. Young said: “America’s energy independence requires a strong and secure pipeline infrastructure. The PIPES Act will reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to ensure our pipeline ecosystem is safe and efficient, allowing the U.S. to meet our energy demands of today and tomorrow.”

Sen. Peters said: “Pipeline safety is critical to protecting both our environment and our economy. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this commonsense, bipartisan bill to strengthen the safety and security of our nation’s pipelines and help prevent accidents before they occur.”

BACKGROUND:

PHMSA is responsible for overseeing the safe transportation of oil, natural gas, and other hazardous liquids by pipelines across the United States. Congress last reauthorized PHMSA’s pipeline safety programs through fiscal year 2023, meaning PHMSA’s pipeline safety programs have been without an authorization for two years. The PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025 delivers critical updates to maintain safety and reliability in America’s energy infrastructure.

To read a section-by-section, click HERE.

To read the bill text, click HERE.

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