House Votes To Extend Chemical Security Rules

The House has passed legislation that would extend for one year the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) authority to regulate security at the nation's chemical facilities. The provision was included in an appropriations bill (H.R. 2892) that would provide DHS with $42.6 billion in fiscal 2010. The Obama Administration has asked for the one-year extension to give lawmakers time to complete work on legislation that would establish a permanent chemical facility security program. DHS's authority to regulate security at the facilities expires in October. Committees in the House are working on separate legislation (H.R. 2868) that would reauthorize and expand the scope of the existing program. The House appropriations bill provides $103.3 million for regulating security at chemical facilities, a 33% increase over the fiscal 2009 funding level. This includes $12 million to implement a new program regulating the sale and transfer of ammonium nitrate. The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a $42.9 billion fiscal 2010 funding bill for DHS, which also includes a one-year extension of the department's authority to regulate security at chemical facilities.