Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6884
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-22T14:55:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 6884
Purpose
This legislation aims to improve roadway safety by imposing financial penalties on freight brokers that contract with carriers having multiple safety violations and by allowing federal investigations of brokers after certain fatal crashes.
Key Provisions
- New penalty for unsafe contracts: Freight brokers face a civil penalty equal to 10 percent of the value of the contracted cargo if they contract with a "specified transportation company," defined as a carrier (or one employing a driver) that received 3 or more Department of Transportation violations in the prior 5 years.
- Fund allocation: Penalties are deposited into the Highway Trust Fund and may be used without further approval for safety-related road or infrastructure projects.
- Investigation authority: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator may investigate a freight broker after a fatal crash involving a contracted carrier and can impose extra operating requirements on the broker if the investigation finds "egregious disregard for safety."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill adds two new sections (14917 and 14918) to Chapter 149 of title 49, United States Code. It creates civil penalties and investigative powers specifically for freight brokers that did not previously exist in this part of the law.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Increases responsibilities for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in conducting investigations and for the Department of Transportation in managing penalty funds for safety projects.
- Citizens and safety: Seeks to reduce risks on public roads by discouraging contracts with high-violation carriers, with collected funds directed toward infrastructure improvements.
- No direct effects on international relations are outlined in the bill.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Freight brokers
- Motor carriers and their drivers
- Federal agencies including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation
- Recipients of Highway Trust Fund projects, such as state transportation departments
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Introduces new civil penalties tied to contract values and grants discretionary authority to impose operating requirements, which could affect business practices of brokers.
- Constitutional: Operates within federal authority over interstate commerce and transportation safety, with no explicit constitutional challenges addressed in the text.
- Political: The bill is named after private individuals and focuses on safety enforcement without altering broader regulatory frameworks.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-18: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-12-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act — issued 2025-12-18 — PDF (3 pages)