PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 2868: Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 2868: Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010

111th Congress · introduced 2009-06-15 · Emergency Management · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 700.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2009-06-15 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 7 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 869 (2009): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR2868 (2009-11-06), Agreed to. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 700. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010

Plain summary

Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010 - Amends the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 to extend for three years (until October 4, 2013) the authority of the the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue regulations establishing risk-based performance standards for the security of chemical facilities that require vulnerability assessments and the development and implementation of site security plans (Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards or CFATS). Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to require the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs, to: (1) establish a voluntary chemical security training program to enhance the capabilities of high-risk chemical facilities to prevent, prepare for, respond to, mitigate against, and recover from threatened or actual acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other man-made disasters; and (2) develop a voluntary chemical security exercise program to offer voluntary testing and evaluation of the capabilities of the federal government, state governments, commercial personnel and management, governmental and nongovernmental emergency response providers, and the private sector to prevent, prepare for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies at chemical facilities. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection in coordination with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, to establish a voluntary technical assistance program to provide nonbinding assistance or recommendations to the owner of a covered chemical facility to: (1) reduce the risk or consequences associated with a successful terrorist attack on the facility; and (2) aid in compliance with the performance standards applicable to the facility under CFATS. Provides that the decision to participate or to implement any assistance or recommendations provided by the Secretary shall be at the sole discretion of the owner or operator. Requires the Secretary, upon request, to advise such owner or operator of the overall effect that implementing all categories of assistance or recommendations provided by the Secretary would have on the Secretary's determination regarding: (1) the placement of the facility in a risk-based tier under CFATS, or (2) whether the facility would no longer present a high level of security risk. Provides that no act or failure to act by the owner or operator relating to assistance or a recommendation provided by the Secretary shall be interpreted or applied to create any liability or cause of action for compensation that may result from a terrorist act or incident at the facility, with an exception for intervening acts or omissions. Directs the Secretary to develop a repository for information and data on best practices and cost-effective technologies for implementing CFATS and the voluntary technical assistance program. Provides for the protection of information that may reveal: (1) vulnerabilities or other details of the security capabilities of a covered facility that may be exploited by terrorists, and (2) trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is not customarily in the public domain. Directs the Secretary, by October 4, 2013, in coordination with a nine-member Chemical Facility Security Advisory Board established by this Act, to submit a report regarding lessons learned from the voluntary technical assistance program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] · 8 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2868, Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 (2009-07-09); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2868, Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 (2009-07-09); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2868, Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 (2009-10-23); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2868, Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 (2009-10-23); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2868, Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010 (2010-11-16); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2868, Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010 (2010-11-16)

Cosponsors on this site

Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] reported raising $928,245 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong111-hr2868 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111