H.R. 5500: Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-06-16 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-06-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act

Plain summary

Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act to prohibit the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement (OSMRE)and state regulatory authoritiesfrom accepting new self-bonds for coal reclamation.Additionally, any existing self-bonds or corporate bondsutilized for coal reclamationmust be converted to surety or collateral bonds. The OSMRE may approve state or federal alternative coal miningbond programs thatresult in no greater risk of financial liability to the federalgovernment than a surety or collateral bond program. The bill also requires the OSMRE to issue rules establishing limitations on surety bondsto minimize the financial liability to the federal or stategovernment.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17] · 40 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Bond: A way to borrow money. A government sells bonds to raise money now and promises to pay it back with interest over time. Bonds repaid from taxes often need voter approval.
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.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr5500.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5500 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114