Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is one of the 16 standing committees of the U.S. Senate. Like all other standing committees, this committee has permanent status and can create new laws and suggest changes in legislation to the Senate as a whole. The Committee on Environment and Public Works is responsible for dealing with a broad variety of matters related to the environment and infrastructure. This makes it one of several prominent Senate committees concerned with newsworthy issues related to science and technology.

This committee was originally created in 1837 by the Senate as the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds to oversee the development of the Federal buildings in Washington, D.C. Throughout the 20th century, the committee jurisdiction was expanded to include more diverse issues, such as the interstate highway systems, flood control, and matters of navigation.

In 1963, the committee was granted the responsibility for creating new laws to achieve air and water pollution control, rural and community economic development, and relief from natural disasters.

The 1970s are considered some of the most productive years for the committee, a period when it managed to advance some landmark legislation. On January 1, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the National Environmental Protection Act, which put many air pollutants under regulation. The committee's reputation became stronger after the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Water Pollution Act of 1972 were approved. The 1970 Clean Air Act helped greatly reduce automobile pollution. This legislation enacted deadlines and penalties for automobile emission standards in new cars. Many other issues that relate to the work of this committee, such as acid rain and global warming, have also become public and government concerns. In the 1980s, the committee was in conflict with the Reagan administration as the White House sought to cut spending and relax regulations on industry. In the 1980s and 1990s, the committee focused on issues that related to water projects, harbors, and highways. The early 1990s brought another action concerning the Clean Air Act and more attention to federal highway programs.

The committee has several subcommittees. In 2009 to 2010, these subcommittees included Children's Health; Clean Air and Nuclear Safety; Green Jobs and the New Economy; Oversight; Superfund, Toxics, and Environmental Health; Transportation and Infrastructure; and Water and Wildlife.

Almost every piece of legislation that is introduced in the Senate is first sent to one of its committees for review. For instance, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works could receive a legislative proposal (bill) to enable a new Federal building to be constructed in a particular location.

In the process of considering a bill, the committee and its subcommittees may examine information received from outside experts, as well as request written proposals from various executive [Page 790]agencies and hold committee hearings. Generally, congressional hearings involve oral testimony about the issue under consideration, and members of Congress may question the witnesses. For example, the Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife might hold a hearing to review the detection of lead in drinking water and suggest both urgent actions and long-term solutions.

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