Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7073) to improve public-private partnerships and increase Federal research, development, and demonstration related to the evolution of next generation pipeline systems, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7073, the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act, which I am proud to cosponsor.

The United States pipeline network consists of nearly 2.8 million miles of pipeline, enough to wrap around the world at the equator more than 112 times.

Yet, 50 percent of the Nation's pipeline system is more than 60 years old, and the Department of Energy estimates that as many as 96,000 miles of new pipeline will be needed to handle carbon dioxide capture from power plants and directly from the air.

As the Representative of Cushing, Oklahoma, the pipeline crossroads of the world, I see firsthand the importance of pipeline infrastructure, not just for our energy security but for economic growth in America. This is infrastructure that must be maintained now and well into the future.

A new and modern emphasis on science collaboration, as well as increased industry involvement and public-private demonstration projects, will be required to meet our future energy demands and ensure the continued safety and efficient use of our pipelines.

Not only do pipelines carry the oil and natural gas that currently fuel our economy, but they are also critical in transporting the next generation of fuels like hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane.

H.R. 7073 enables that by invigorating Federal research focused on improving pipeline safety and technology.

The bill establishes a demonstration initiative to advance research undertaken by DOE and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. It will also help lab-scale, basic research overcome the ``valley of death'' through commercial development.

It also establishes a national pipeline modernization center as a central location for industry and stakeholders to collaborate with Federal agencies on pipeline research and development and enable new cost-effective products and procedures.

Simply put, 7073 is necessary for the continued growth of the American energy industry. It will strengthen pipeline infrastructure networks that will be essential to achieving our shared energy, economic, security, and environmental goals.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

Washington, DC, September 19, 2024.

Hon. Frank D. Lucas,

Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Lucas: I write to you concerning H.R. 7073,

the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act.

The bill was referred primarily to the Committee on Science,

Space, and Technology. Specifically, provisions of H.R. 7073

fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure.

I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this

legislation before the House of Representatives in an

expeditious manner, and accordingly, the Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo action on the

bill. However, this is conditional on our mutual

understanding that doing so will not prejudice the Committee

on Transportation and Infrastructure with respect to the

appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional

claim over the subject matter contained within the bill or

similar legislation that falls under the Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure's Rule X jurisdiction.

Further, should a conference on the bill be necessary, I

appreciate your agreement to support my request to have the

Committee represented on the conference committee.

Finally, I would ask that a copy of this letter and your

response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest in the

bill be included in the Committee Report and Congressional

Record during consideration of H.R. 7073 on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber) to speak on his bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I am prepared to close once the gentlewoman from California closes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank my Science Committee colleagues, Mr. Weber and Ms. Caraveo, for leading this bipartisan effort. I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 7073, the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act.

I introduced this important piece of legislation earlier this year to direct the Department of Energy toward a new and more modern approach to pipeline research and development.

The chairman talked about over 2 million something miles of pipelines in the United States. Well, I am from the great State of Texas, which has over half a million miles of gas and liquid pipelines, so that is about a fourth of the whole pipelines in the United States if my high school math is holding up. This creates $374 billion, with a b, in total economic output for my State.

That is because pipelines deliver oil and gas safely, reliably, and efficiently. However, as the chairman mentioned, half of all U.S. pipelines are over 60 years old, so we can expect defects and anomalies to occur more often. It is just a fact of the wear and tear they are under. Imagine driving a car that was over 60 years old, and yet it had never been tended to, which is unbelievable.

Now, that is not to say that pipelines are dangerous, Mr. Speaker. Actually, the truth is quite the opposite, as pipelines safely deliver oil and gas without incident--check these numbers out--24/7, 99.999 percent of the time. That is a pretty good safety record, Mr. Speaker.

As new energy sources emerge, like hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane, we can expect pipelines to be the primary source of transportation to American energy independence into the future.

H.R. 7073 encourages new public-private projects in maintenance of our current pipeline infrastructure, and in supporting next-generation systems. Through the technological innovation directed by this legislation, the American energy sector will actually see a strengthened focus on material behavior, leak detection capabilities, and multifuel transportation.

The Next Generation Pipeline R&D Act also brings together industry stakeholders, academia, and Federal agencies to collaborate and coordinate on vital pipeline research needs. It ensures that the Department of Energy focuses on basic research that is actually too low on the technology readiness level for industry to conduct. At the same time, this bill enables industry to be involved and ready to run with the innovation that does come from that kind of research.

Lastly, this bill codifies and updates a multiagency research program that includes the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Transportation. This language updates and builds upon the original memorandum of understanding that was put in place way back in 2004.

H.R. 7073 is a good government bill with bipartisan support, as you have heard here tonight. It strengthens U.S. leadership in oil and natural gas research and actually provides a good return on investment for the American taxpayer. I thank Representatives Caraveo and Obernolte, as well as Chairman Lucas and our ranking member across the aisle for cosponsoring and being great partners on this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Lofgren for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, in Colorado we know how critical pipelines are, whether

they are for carrying different types of energy sources or even delivering water to communities from places that are miles away. In fact, according to the Office of Pipeline Safety, there are more than 45,000 miles of pipeline in Colorado.

As one of the leading energy producers in the country, my district is home to miles of oil and hazardous liquid lines and natural gas transmission lines. However, we are also no stranger to experiencing accidents like a leak or break. We need to be doing what we can to ensure this important piece of our energy infrastructure remains safe and effective for years to come.

That is why I am proud to lead the Next Generation Pipeline Research and Development Act with Representative Weber, which would invest in R&D for our aging pipeline infrastructure while also leveraging public- private partnerships to do so. This bipartisan effort will be a win for keeping our environment clean while maintaining one of the primary conduits for bringing energy to Coloradans.

One of the biggest issues in my district right now is that our pipelines are getting older, particularly those used to transport natural gas, and that makes them more prone to leak. The most prevalent leak we see is methane, which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Just one leak can be damaging to the environment, so we need to be making these investments now to secure our pipeline infrastructure. This will also be important as we begin to use pipelines not just for traditional energy sources like natural gas, but for newer sources like hydrogen. The future of our energy grid will rely on a mix of different fuels, and securing our pipeline infrastructure is vital to that future.

Before I close, I will highlight how this bill will help those of us living in the West. As drought continues to affect places like Colorado, water sources are becoming more important to access, especially to keep up with growth. There are plenty of cities in Colorado, including in my district, that rely on pipelines to bring water to consumers, and there is no sign of this stopping. We need to ensure these pipelines are maintained with up-to-date technology, and this bill will make certain of that.

I again thank Representative Weber for working with me on this bill and for the leadership both Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member Lofgren have shown on the Science Committee. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act.

As has been mentioned, a majority of the Nation's pipeline system is more than 60 years old. With this magnitude of aging pipelines operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it is inevitable that without new inspection and leak detection technologies, catastrophic defects and anomalies will occur more frequently.

Too often we are confronted with news of pipeline failures that cause mass casualties, environmental disasters, damage property, and service interruptions for thousands. There is much that industry can do to secure their assets while contributing to the development of next generation pipelines.

H.R. 7073 seeks to prevent future infrastructure failure and improve pipeline safety and technology through innovation. This bill will improve the work of the DOE and the Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration by establishing a demonstration initiative that will help lab-scale, basic research overcome the ``valley of death'' and achieve commercial deployment. DOE, DOT, and NIST will also be empowered to work together in a joint pipeline research program.

Finally, it directs DOE to establish a national pipeline modernization center, a place for industry and Federal agencies to collaborate on pipeline research and development.

What we have in front of us is much-needed harm reduction legislation. I extend my congratulations to Mr. Weber and Dr. Caraveo and my appreciation for their hard work on this legislation. It is a good bill. I support it, and I encourage others, as well, to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate, indeed, to have Dr. Caraveo as a Member of our House with her keen intellect and pragmatic approach to solving America's problems.

I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Caraveo).

Mr. Speaker, I urge that we support and enact this good bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.