119-sres160

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 160 Agreed to Senate

    (ATS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 160

 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 April 7, 2025

 Mr. Young (for himself, Mr. Peters, Mr. Cruz, and Ms. Cantwell) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month.

Whereas, each year, the underground utility infrastructure of the United States, 
 including pipelines, electric, gas, telecommunications, fiber, water, 
 sewer, and cable television lines, is jeopardized by unintentional 
 damage caused by those who fail to have underground utility lines 
 located prior to digging;
Whereas some utility lines are buried only a few inches underground, making the 
 lines easy to strike, even during shallow digging projects;
Whereas digging prior to having underground utility lines located often results 
 in unintended consequences, such as service interruption, environmental 
 damage, personal injury, and even death;
Whereas the month of April marks the beginning of the peak period during which 
 excavation projects are carried out around the United States;
Whereas, in 2002, Congress required the Department of Transportation and the 
 Federal Communications Commission to establish a 3-digit, nationwide, 
 toll-free number to be used by State ``One Call'' systems to provide 
 information on underground utility lines;
Whereas, in 2005, the Federal Communications Commission designated ``811'' as 
 the nationwide ``One Call'' number for homeowners and excavators to use 
 to obtain information on underground utility lines before conducting 
 excavation activities (referred to in this preamble as the ```One Call'/
 811 program'');
Whereas the nearly 4,000 damage prevention professionals who are members of the 
 Common Ground Alliance, States, the ``One Call''/811 program, and other 
 stakeholders who are dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental 
 protection, and the integrity of services, promote the national 
 ``Contact 811 Before You Dig'' campaign to increase public awareness 
 about the importance of homeowners and excavators contacting 811 to find 
 out the location of underground utility lines before digging;
Whereas the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 
 (Public Law 112-90; 125 Stat. 1904) affirmed and expanded the ``One 
 Call''/811 program by eliminating exemptions given to local and State 
 government agencies and their contractors regarding notifying ``One 
 Call''/811 centers before digging;
Whereas, according to the 2023 Damage Information Reporting Tool Report 
 published by the Common Ground Alliance in October 2024--

    (1) ``No notification to the 811 center'' remains the number 1 top root 
cause of damage;

    (2) failure to notify 811 prior to digging contributed to 26 percent of 
damages; and

    (3) landscaping is the top type of work performed when professionals 
cause no-notification damages; and

Whereas the Common Ground Alliance has designated April as ``National Safe 
 Digging Month'' to increase awareness of safe digging practices across 
 the United States and to celebrate the anniversary of the designation of 
 811 as the national ``Contact Before You Dig'' number: Now, therefore, 
 be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging 
 Month;

    (2) encourages all homeowners and excavators throughout the 
 United States to contact 811 by phone or online before digging; 
 and

    (3) encourages all damage prevention stakeholders to help 
 educate homeowners and excavators throughout the United States 
 about the importance of contacting 811 to have the approximate 
 location of buried utilities marked with paint or flags before 
 digging.
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