Bridges not Bumpers Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 6531

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-02-02: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Last Updated

2026-02-03T09:05:40Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 6531: Bridges not Bumpers Act of 2025

Purpose of the Legislation

This bill aims to reduce incidents where commercial motor vehicles strike bridges, tunnels, or underpasses by improving access to height clearance data in navigation tools, enhancing education and data sharing, and supporting infrastructure research. It focuses on preventing such strikes through better information for drivers and rental vehicle users.

Key Provisions Outlined

• Working Group Establishment: Directs the Secretary of Transportation to create a bridge clearance strike working group with members from federal agencies (such as the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), state transportation departments, trucking groups, GPS system producers, law enforcement, rental companies, and railroads. The group must recommend improvements in data sharing for commercial vehicle routes, address liability for inaccurate data, enhance driver training (including on commercial driver's license tests), require height and weight labeling on rental vehicles, provide notices to renters about vehicle height, and identify funding needs for GPS integration.
• Regulations: Requires the Secretary to issue rules within one year of the working group's recommendations to implement them.
• Liability Protection: Grants GPS navigation system administrators immunity from civil lawsuits for injuries caused by using bridge clearance data provided by states or the federal government.
• Education Campaign: Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should run a national awareness campaign, in coordination with the working group, targeting commercial drivers, independent operators, and motor carrier groups.
• National Clearinghouse: Creates a centralized data repository for bridge and tunnel strike information and best practices, modeled on an existing National Academies publication, with $5,000,000 authorized for this purpose.
• Grant Program: Establishes grants for states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, certain railroads, and safety groups to research and plan infrastructure fixes for high-risk locations, with prioritization for states with frequent strikes. Authorizes $5,000,000 annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
• Definitions: Defines "commercial motor vehicle" by reference to existing law (49 U.S.C. § 31132) and "covered rental vehicle" as self-propelled or towed vehicles with a gross weight rating of at least 5,700 pounds, rented without a driver for short terms, and part of fleets of five or more.

Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced

This legislation creates new federal programs and requirements rather than amending specific statutes. It adds a liability immunity provision for GPS providers using government data, mandates a new interagency working group and clearinghouse, and authorizes new grant funding streams. It also directs future regulations that could require bridge clearance data in GPS devices, which is not currently mandated.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities for the Department of Transportation and its sub-agencies, as well as state transportation departments, through data collection, regulation development, and grant administration. Railroads and law enforcement may see expanded coordination roles.
• Citizens: Improves safety for commercial drivers and rental vehicle users by providing better height information and warnings, potentially reducing accidents. Rental companies must add labeling and notices.
• International Relations: No direct effects identified.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal transportation agencies and state departments of transportation.
• Commercial trucking organizations, motor carriers, and drivers.
• GPS navigation system producers.
• Rental vehicle companies.
• Class I, II, and III railroads.
• Law enforcement agencies.
• Metropolitan planning organizations and local governments.
• Transportation safety groups.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Introduces civil liability immunity for GPS providers relying on official data, which could limit lawsuits but may raise questions about data accuracy responsibilities. The bill relies on existing commercial motor vehicle definitions without major revisions.
• Constitutional: No apparent issues with federal authority over interstate commerce or transportation safety.
• Political: Introduced with bipartisan cosponsors; emphasizes public-private partnerships and education without mandating new taxes or broad regulatory overhauls.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]

Cosponsors (10)

Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8], Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2], Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

Recent Actions

• 2026-02-02: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
• 2026-02-02: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
• 2025-12-09: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-12-09: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-12-09: Introduced in House
• 2025-12-09: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Bridges not Bumpers Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-09 — PDF (7 pages)