House Rejects Bill on Pipeline Safety

The House rejected a pipeline safety bill as too weak, leaving little chance Congress will act this year to strengthen pipeline laws after fatal accidents in Washington state and New Mexico. Democrats said the bill by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) did little to improve the status quo, was too generous to the oil and natural gas industries and relied too heavily on the federal Office of Pipeline Safety for enforcement. The Senate last month unanimously approved the measure, which would increase fines for safety violators, boost state oversight and give whistle-blower protections to pipeline workers who reveal safety problems.