H.R. 10790: Chemical Safety Board Accountability Act

This bill would change the rules for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, the federal agency that investigates serious chemical accidents.

What the bill changes

The bill would require the Board to have 5 members, including a chairperson, all appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It keeps the current requirement that Board members be chosen for technical knowledge and experience in areas like:

• accident reconstruction
• safety engineering
• human factors
• toxicology
• air pollution regulation

It adds a new requirement that at least one Board member must have demonstrated knowledge and substantial experience in the trades or industrial labor. In other words, one seat would need to be filled by someone with hands-on experience in industrial work or a related trade background.

Board appointments and vacancies

The bill would add a new rule for filling vacancies on the Board. If a seat becomes vacant, the President would have to either:

• submit a nominee to the Senate within 90 days, or
• send a report to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works explaining why no nominee was submitted and giving a plan to submit one within the next 90 days.

If the President still does not submit a nominee during that next 90-day period, the President would have to keep sending updated reports every 90 days until a nomination is made.

Other Board provisions

The bill would keep the current 5-year term for Board members. It would also preserve the rule that Board members, including the chairperson, may be removed for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance. The chairperson would continue to serve as the Board’s chief executive and handle its executive and administrative functions.

Practical effect

Overall, the bill would not change the Board’s core mission, but it would change who can serve on it and how quickly vacancies must be addressed. It is intended to ensure that the Board includes someone with direct labor or trades experience and that vacant seats are filled, or at least formally addressed, within a set timeframe.

Relevant Companies

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