Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety and Oversight Improvements Act of 2025
The Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety and Oversight Improvements Act of 2025 would tighten federal regulation of foreign manufacturers of cylinders used to transport hazardous materials. It directs the Secretary of Transportation to regulate approvals for these foreign manufacturers (FMOC), including shorter default approval periods (1 year) with the possibility of a longer 5-year approval under stricter conditions. The bill expands oversight, requires transparency in applications, imposes stricter screening questions, and creates a mechanism for reevaluation of approvals. It also authorizes foreign inspections, mandates annual listing of approved FMOCs, and authorizes cost recovery for inspections. The aim is to improve safety and accountability in the supply chain for critical cylinders used in hazardous-material transport.
Key Points
- 1Approval duration and standards for FMOCs: default inspections/approvals are limited to 1 year, with a potential 5-year approval only if the FMOC meets several conditions (e.g., no prohibition on entry to the U.S., accurate information, and ongoing “good standing”).
- 2Expanded enforcement and penalties: the Secretary can suspend or terminate approvals for obstruction of inspections or for misrepresentations; provisions address clear consequences for failures to comply.
- 3Increased transparency and public participation: applications for FMOC approval must be publicly posted with a 30-day public comment window; the Department must maintain an annual listing of approved FMOCs and the duration of their approvals.
- 4Expanded screening in applications: new questions require disclosure of penalties, delinquencies, Do Not Pay status, DoD/Commerce lists, criminal or civil penalties, and antidumping/countervailing duty actions; applications can be denied based on responses.
- 5Reevaluation and foreign-inspection framework: within 180 days, the Secretary must establish a process for reevaluating FMOC approvals upon new evidence; the Secretary may require production of test/production records, conduct random sampling, and recover inspection costs; inspections can be annual if there is good cause.