H.R. 4114: Environmental Justice Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-10-24 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-10-24 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment. 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

Environmental Justice Act of 2017

Plain summary

Environmental Justice Act of 2017 This bill requires agencies to address the disproportionate impact of environmental and human health hazards on communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities resulting from agencies' programs and policies. This bill provides statutory authority for: the interagency Federal Working Group on Environmental Justice, certain environmental justice requirements established under Executive Order 12898, a guidance titled "Environmental Justice Guidance Under the National Environmental Policy Act," a guidance titled "EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes: Guidance for Discussing Tribal Treaty Rights," the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program, and the Community Action for a Renewed Environment grant programs. The bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address potential cumulative impacts of pollutant discharges when issuing or renewing permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program. The bill amends the Clean Air Act to require the EPA to address potential cumulative impacts of a major stationary source of air pollutants when issuing or renewing permits for those sources. The bill states that the authorization to bring citizen suits under certain environmental laws does not preclude the right of an individual to bring a civil action for deprivation of implied rights under those laws or common law. The bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to allow a person aggrieved by the failure of a covered entity to comply with the Act to bring an action against the entity in a federal or state court for discriminatory practices.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Yea” vote

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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

Environmental Justice Act of 2017

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. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] · 29 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Al Green (D-TX), André Carson (D-IN), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Bill Foster (D-IL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Darren Soto (D-FL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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).
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

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-115hr4114.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr4114 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115