Dems want more changes to House pipeline bill

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will vote Wednesday on legislation to reauthorize the nation’s pipeline safety regulator, but Democrats say the new bill is not yet a finished product.

The Subcommittee on Energy will consider H.R. 9338, the “Pipeline Safety Authorization Act of 2026,” sponsored by Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas), which would extend safety programs at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration through fiscal 2031.

Democrats have been pushing for additional safety provisions since a draft version of the bill was released earlier this year. A Democratic Energy and Commerce aide, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said negotiations are ongoing to find a bipartisan compromise.

“We’ve made good bipartisan progress on the pipeline safety bill, but negotiations are still ongoing,” the aide said.