H.R. 4143 Text - Reported in House - 118th Congress (2023-2024)

To amend the National Construction Safety Team Act to enable the National Institute of Standards and Technology to investigate structures other than buildings to inform the development of engineering standards, best practices, and building codes related to such structures, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “National Construction Safety Team Enhancement Act of 2023”.

SEC. 2. National construction safety team enhancement.

The National Construction Safety Team Act is amended—

(1) in section 2 (15 U.S.C. 7301)—

(A) in subsection (a)—

(i) in the first sentence, by striking “buildings” and inserting “structure”; and

(ii) by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence: “In instances in which the failure of the building or structure is the proper subject for investigation by another Federal agency, the Director shall defer to the authority of such agency.”;

(B) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (1), by striking “buildings” and inserting “the built environment”; and

(ii) in paragraph (2)—

(I) in subparagraph (A), by inserting “or structure” after “building”;

(II) in subparagraph (C), by striking “building standards, codes, and practices” and inserting “engineering standards, practices, and building codes”; and

(III) in subparagraph (D), by striking “buildings” and inserting “the built environment”; and

(i) in subparagraph (G), by inserting “or structure” after “building”; and

(ii) in subparagraph (J)—

(I) by inserting “or structure” after “building”; and

(II) by inserting “or the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004” after “1977”;

(2) in section 4 (15 U.S.C. 7303)—

(A) by striking the term “building” each place it appears; and

(B) by inserting “building or structure” before “failure” each place it appears;

(3) in section 7 (15 U.S.C. 7306), by inserting “or structure” after “building”;

(4) in section 8 (15 U.S.C. 7307)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting “or structure” after “building”;

(B) in paragraph (3), by striking “standards, codes, and practices” and inserting “engineering standards, practices, and building codes”; and

(5) in section 9(2) (15 U.S.C. 7308(2)), by striking “building standards, codes, and practices” each place it appears and inserting “engineering standards, practices, and building codes”;

(6) in section 14 (15 U.S.C. 7312), by striking “building standards, codes, or practices” and inserting “engineering standards, practices, and building codes”; and

(7) by amending section 15 (15 U.S.C. 7313) to read as follows:

“SEC. 15. Authorization of appropriations.

“There is authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027.”.