HOWIE Act

Michael Lawler

Republican · NY · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

2026-03-20

Source: Congress.gov

Helping Oversee and Ward off Infrastructure Emergencies Act or the HOWIE Act This bill directs the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to revise current railroad accident reporting requirements to include additional causes of damage. Specifically, FRA must require a railroad to report a train accident that results in damage if the railroad has a reasonable suspicion that an action carried out by the railroad caused the damage. An accident includes any incident that causes a fire, including a brush fire, alongside a railroad track.

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

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8012 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8012 To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations requiring a rail carrier to report certain damage if such carrier has a reasonable suspicion that an action carried out by the carrier caused such damage. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 19, 2026 Mr. Lawler introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations requiring a rail carrier to report certain damage if such carrier has a reasonable suspicion that an action carried out by the carrier caused such damage. 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 ``Helping Oversee and Ward off Infrastructure Emergencies Act'' or the ``HOWIE Act''. SEC. 2. STANDARD FOR REPORTING CERTAIN DAMAGE RELATING TO RAILROAD OPERATIONS. The Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, shall issue such regulations as are necessary to update section 225.9 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to require a railroad to report a train accident resulting in damage described under such section, including any incident that causes a fire (including a brush fire) alongside a railroad track, if such railroad has a reasonable suspicion that an action carried out by the railroad caused such damage. <all>

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