H.R. 853 · 119th Congress
Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act
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D
DeluzioSponsor1 cosponsor · 1 R
1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill establishes a Hazardous Train Event Emergency Reimbursement Fund for state and local emergency response groups.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jan 31, 2025
Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act
This bill establishes a Hazardous Train Event Emergency Reimbursement Fund for state and local emergency response groups.
Upon a declaration by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that a hazardous train event has occurred, the FRA must immediately award at least $250,000 from the emergency fund to one or more eligible groups (e.g., law enforcement agencies and fire departments). Additional amounts may be awarded, but may not exceed $3 million per hazardous train event. The FRA may declare a hazardous train event has occurred following a derailment or crash involving a train carrying hazardous materials, hazardous waste, or other materials that pose a threat to public health, safety, and the environment.
Costs associated with a response to a hazardous train event that are eligible for reimbursement include (1) replacing damaged or contaminated equipment, (2) overtime pay for firefighters or law enforcement officers, and (3) retroactively covering these types of incurred costs after the event date.
The FRA must also (1) establish annual fees for shippers and carriers of hazardous materials by rail that have total annual collections of at least $10 million, and (2) deposit the fees into the reimbursement fund.
Further, the Department of Transportation must issue regulations requiring railroads that transport hazardous materials by train to provide county and local emergency response groups with (1) advance warning of the train's load and timing, and (2) real-time location information on the train when it enters and exits the community's service area.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act
Latest action (Feb 1, 2025): Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works · Origin: House · Introduced: Jan 31, 2025
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.