European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011
Public Law 112-200 · S. 1956 · 112th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Nov 27, 2012 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
Cosponsors (12): Sen. Roger Wicker, Sen. Johnny Isakson,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to prohibit an operator of a U.S. civil aircraft from participating in any emissions trading scheme unilaterally established by the European Union in EU Directive 2003/87/EC of October 13, 2003, in any case in which the Secretary determines such prohibition to be in the public interest, taking into account the impacts on: (1) U.S. consumers, U.S. carriers, and U.S. operators; (2) the economic, energy, and environmental security of the United States; and (3) U.S. foreign relations, including existing international commitments. Requires the Secretary to hold a public hearing at least 30 days before imposing any such prohibition.
Authorizes the Secretary to reassess such a determination at any time. Requires the Secretary to reassess such a determination after: (1) any amendment by the European Union to such Directive, (2) the adoption of any international agreement concerning a worldwide approach to address aircraft emissions, or (3) the enactment of a public law or issuance of a final rule after formal agency rulemaking in the United States to address aircraft emissions.
Provides that the Secretary, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other appropriate U.S. government officials should use their authority to conduct international negotiations, including negotiations to pursue a worldwide approach to address aircraft emissions, including the environmental impact of aircraft emissions. Requires such officials to take other actions under existing authorities that are in the public interest and that are necessary to hold operators of U.S. civil aircraft harmless from any such scheme. Prohibits such actions from including the obligation or expenditure of any amounts in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund or amounts otherwise made available to DOT or any other federal agency pursuant to appropriations Acts for the payment of any tax or penalty imposed on an operator of U.S. civil aircraft pursuant to such scheme.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 2594Related billText similarities
European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.
- Nov 27, 2012Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 112-200.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 16, 2012FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 13, 2012FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1956.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Mica moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Sep 25, 2012FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Sep 24, 2012FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 22, 2012FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Aug 2, 2012CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 484.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-195.
- Jul 31, 2012CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Dec 7, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
2 amendments offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 2860SenateSen. Jeff MerkleyD-OR· offered Sep 22, 2012Agreed to
To provide for the reassessment by the Secretary of Transportation of a determination that it is in the public interest to prohibit operators of civil aircraft of the United States from participating in the European Union's emissions tradi…
Sep 22, 2012: Amendment SA 2860 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 2859SenateSen. Benjamin CardinD-MD· offered Sep 22, 2012Agreed to
To prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to pay taxes and penalties imposed on United States air carriers pursuant to the European Union emissions trading scheme.
Sep 22, 2012: Amendment SA 2859 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.