Protecting Railroad Workers' Jobs Act

Summary#

This bill would add a new rule in federal transportation law requiring freight trains that cross the southern border with Mexico to stop at the border for a crew change and any federally required safety testing. After that stop, only people who are U.S. nationals or who are legally authorized to work in the United States may operate the trains. Those operators must have their primary reporting point inside the United States and must not perform railroad duties while physically outside the United States. The bill defines "southern border" as the international border between the United States and Mexico and uses existing immigration law definitions for "alien" and "national of the United States."

What it means for you#

• If you work for a railroad that moves freight across the U.S.–Mexico border, trains would be required to stop at the border for a crew change and required safety testing.
• Only operators who are U.S. nationals or who are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S., and who report primarily in the U.S. and do not work while outside the U.S., may operate those trains after the border stop.
• The rule would apply to railroad carriers that operate freight trains across the southern border.

Expenses#

No publicly available information. The bill text does not include cost estimates or funding provisions.

Proponents' View#

Proponents say the bill protects American railroad workers' jobs in cross-border freight traffic by requiring crew interchanges at the southern border and limiting who may operate trains after that point to workers authorized to work and based in the United States.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.