SRES673Introduced

A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month.

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Introduced
2
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-04-15
Introduced
3
Cosponsors
SRES
Type

Sponsor

Todd Young
Todd Young
Republican · IN · Senator
Votes with party: 34.4% (323 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/Y000064

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (3)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1789-1790; text: CR S1788)

2026-04-15

Source: Congress.gov

Plain-English Summary

This resolution expresses support for National Safe Digging Month and encourages all homeowners and excavators to call 811 to find the location of underground utility lines before digging.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

Subjects

Science, Technology, Communications

Full Bill Text

Verbatim text published on Congress.gov via GovInfo. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to search within this excerpt.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. Res. 673 Agreed to Senate (ATS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 673 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 15 (legislative day, April 14), 2026 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 2024 Damage Information Reporting Tool Report published by the Common Ground Alliance in August 2025-- (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 25 percent of damages; and (3) fencing and landscaping are the top types 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. <all>