United States 115th Congress Status: Passed House 1 R cosponsors

HR 953 — Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2017

Last action — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency or a state from requiring a permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for a discharge of a pesticide from a point source into navigable waters if the discharge is approved under FIFRA. Point source pollution is waste discharged from a distinct place, such as a pipe, channel, or tunnel. (Sec. 3) NPDES permits are required for: (1) a discharge resulting from the application of a pesticide in violation of FIFRA that is relevant to protecting water quality, if the discharge would not have occurred but for the violation or the amount of pesticide or pesticide residue contained in the discharge is greater than would have occurred without the violation; (2) stormwater discharges regulated under NPDES; and (3) discharges regulated under NPDES of manufacturing or industrial effluent or treatment works effluent and discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel, including a discharge resulting from operations concerning ballast water held in ships to increase stability or vessel biofouling prevention.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

6 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The text shows that the bill, HR 953, was received in the Senate on May 25, 2017, and has been read twice before being referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. The previous version identifying it as "Engrossed in House" has been removed. This means the bill's status has been updated to reflect its movement into the Senate for further consideration.

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953 Engrossed in House (EH)] <DOC> 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
953 Referred in Senate (RFS)] <DOC> 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
953 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters, and for other purposes.
953 _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 25, 2017 Received;
read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters, and for other purposes.
Clerk.
KAREN L.
115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
HAAS, Clerk.
R.
953 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters, and for other purposes.
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How this bill changes current law

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Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill clarifies that no permit is required for the discharge of authorized pesticides into navigable waters under certain conditions.

  • 7 U.S.C. 136a(f)

    "(5) Use of authorized pesticides.--Except as provided in section 402(s) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the Administrator or a State may not require a permit under such Act for a discharge from a point source into navigable waters of a pesticide authorized for sale, distribution, or use under this Act, or the residue of such a pesticide, resulting from the application of such pesticide."

    This addition specifies that authorized pesticides do not require a permit for their discharge into navigable waters.

  • 33 U.S.C. 1342

    "(s) Discharges of Pesticides.-- (1) No permit requirement.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a permit shall not be required by the Administrator or a State under this Act for a discharge from a point source into navigable waters of a pesticide authorized for sale, distribution, or use under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, or the residue of such a pesticide, resulting from the application of such pesticide."

    This stipulation establishes that no permit is needed for discharges of authorized pesticides into navigable waters.

  • 33 U.S.C. 1342

    "(2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the following discharges of a pesticide or pesticide residue: (A) A discharge resulting from the application of a pesticide in violation of a provision of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act that is relevant to protecting water quality..."

    This sets exceptions to the no-permit requirement in cases of violations that could affect water quality.

  • 33 U.S.C. 1342

    "(B) Stormwater discharges subject to regulation under subsection (p)."

    Excludes stormwater discharges from the no-permit requirement.

  • 33 U.S.C. 1342

    "(C) The following discharges subject to regulation under this section: (i) Manufacturing or industrial effluent. (ii) Treatment works effluent. (iii) Discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel, including a discharge resulting from ballasting operations or vessel biofouling prevention."

    Clarifies additional exceptions relating to specific types of discharges that still require permits.

Action History

  1. Introduced in House

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  4. Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  5. Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  6. Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

  7. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  8. Ordered to be Reported.

  9. Reported by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 115-131, Part I.

  10. Reported by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 115-131, Part I.

  11. Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 348 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 953 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-21.

  12. Rule H. Res. 348 passed House.

  13. Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 348. (consideration: CR H4535-4553)

  14. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 953 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-21.

  15. House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 348 and Rule XVIII.

  16. The Speaker designated the Honorable Jeff Duncan to act as Chairman of the Committee.

  17. GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 953.

  18. DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 348, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Esty (CT) amendment.

  19. POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Esty (CT) amendment, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Esty (CT) demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on passage of the bill until later in the legislative day.

  20. DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 348, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Huffman amendment.

  21. POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Huffman amendment, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Huffman demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on passage of the bill until later in the legislative day.

  22. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on amendments, which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

  23. The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 953.

  24. The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

  25. Mr. McGovern moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

  26. DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to prohibit the Act, including any amendments from applying to the discharge of a pesticide if the manufacturer or distributor of the pesticide has made a political contribution to the President or to any Federal official charged with registration, regulation, or approval of the use of the pesticide.

  27. The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

  28. On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 183 - 230 (Roll no. 281).

  29. Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 256 - 165 (Roll no. 282).(text: CR H4545)

  30. On passage Passed by recorded vote: 256 - 165 (Roll no. 282). (text: CR H4545)

  31. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  32. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 546 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HR 953 do?
Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency or a state from requiring a permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for a discharge of a pesticide from a point source into navigable waters if the discharge is approved under FIFRA. Point source pollution is waste discharged from a distinct place, such as a pipe, channel, or tunnel. (Sec. 3) NPDES permits are required for: (1) a discharge resulting from the application of a pesticide in violation of FIFRA that is relevant to protecting water quality, if the discharge would not have occurred but for the violation or the amount of pesticide or pesticide residue contained in the discharge is greater than would have occurred without the violation; (2) stormwater discharges regulated under NPDES; and (3) discharges regulated under NPDES of manufacturing or industrial effluent or treatment works effluent and discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel, including a discharge resulting from operations concerning ballast water held in ships to increase stability or vessel biofouling prevention.
Who sponsors HR 953?
HR 953 is sponsored by Gibbs, Bob (Republican).
What is the current status of HR 953?
This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 953?
Track HR 953 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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