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H.R. 4787: Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act

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H.R. 4787: Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act

115th Congress · introduced 2018-01-12 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2018-01-12 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Bishop, Mike [R-MI-8] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. 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

Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act

Plain summary

Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act This bill establishes requirements for petroleum pipelines that cross the navigable waters of the Great Lakes system. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation must meet certain reporting requirements regarding Great Lakes pipelines. Owners and operators of Great Lakes pipelines must: adhere to certain maintenance standards, perform certain safety tests, report on violations of the standards and correct violations by specified deadlines, repair corroded pipelines and ensure that the pipelines cease to transmit petroleum until they are repaired, and replace aging pipelines by specified deadlines. The bill establishes civil penalties for a delay in correcting violations, a failure to report violations, and a failure to meet a deadline to replace aging pipes. The bill increases the liability of pipeline operators or owners who are responsible for discharges of oil pollution from pipelines into the Great Lakes. Responsible parties must establish and maintain evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet the maximum amount of liability to which the party may be subjected.

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

Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Bishop, Mike [R-MI-8] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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 (1)
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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr4787 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115