Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4095
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-24: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-16T13:35:08Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act of 2025 (H.R. 4095) aims to enhance safety for railroad workers by extending federal limits on work hours—designed to prevent fatigue and accidents—to include yardmaster employees. These are supervisors who manage train movements in rail yards, a group not previously covered by such rules.
Key Provisions
- Duty Hour Limits: Amends Section 21103 of Title 49, United States Code (which currently regulates hours for train employees like engineers and conductors) to explicitly include yardmaster employees. This means yardmasters cannot work more than the existing maximum hours (e.g., no more than 12 consecutive hours without rest, with mandatory off-duty periods).
- Definitions Update: Adds "yardmaster employee" to the definitions in Section 21101, describing them as individuals responsible for supervising and coordinating trains and engines in a rail yard. It also incorporates them into categories of employees already protected under hours-of-service laws.
- Technical Adjustments: Updates the section heading and table of contents in the U.S. Code to reflect the inclusion of yardmasters, ensuring consistency.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Previously, federal hours-of-service rules (under the Federal Railroad Administration) applied only to train crews and certain other roles but excluded yardmasters, leaving them without mandated rest periods despite similar high-risk duties.
- This bill closes that gap by integrating yardmasters into the same regulatory framework, without altering the core limits themselves—only expanding who they apply to.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will need to enforce these expanded rules, potentially requiring updated guidelines, inspections, or training, but no major new funding or restructuring is specified.
- On Citizens: Indirect benefits through improved rail safety, which could reduce derailments or accidents caused by fatigued workers, protecting communities near rail lines.
- On International Relations: None apparent; this is a domestic labor safety measure focused on U.S. railroads.
- Overall, it promotes worker well-being in the rail industry without broad economic shifts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Yardmaster Employees: Primary beneficiaries, gaining protections against excessive hours to reduce fatigue-related health and safety risks.
- Railroad Companies: Must comply with new limits, which could affect scheduling, staffing, and operational costs in rail yards.
- Labor Unions: Likely supportive, as it strengthens collective bargaining on working conditions (e.g., groups like the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers).
- Regulators: FRA and the Department of Transportation, responsible for oversight and enforcement.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens existing federal authority under the Interstate Commerce Act and rail safety laws by broadening their scope, with no conflicts noted. Enforcement would follow standard FRA penalties for violations (e.g., fines).
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce (Article I, Section 8), focusing on worker safety without infringing on states' rights or individual liberties.
- Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Reps. Carbajal, D-CA, and Lawler, R-NY) suggests broad support for rail worker protections; could set precedent for extending safety rules to other overlooked roles in transportation. No major controversies anticipated, as it builds on established law rather than creating new mandates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-24: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-06-24: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-24: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-24 — PDF (2 pages)