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HR 3705 118th Congress House Transportation and Public Works Accidents Administrative law and regulatory procedures Department of Transportation Railroads Transportation safety and security

HOWIE Act

Introduced: May 25, 2023 Introduced by: Lawler, Michael Republican · New York See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 118th Congress ended
It never became law before the 118th Congress (2023–2024) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 26, 2023
Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
May 25, 2023
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
May 25, 2023
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Helping Oversee and Ward off Infrastructure Emergencies Act or the HOWIE Act

This bill requires the Federal Railroad Administration to issue regulations to require a railroad to report a train accident that results in damage if the railroad has a reasonable suspicion that an action carried out by the railroad caused the damage. An accident includes any incident that causes a fire, including a brush fire, alongside a railroad track.

Specifically, a railroad must report (1) a train accident resulting in damage (based on a preliminary gross estimate) of $150,000 or more to railroad and nonrailroad property; or (2) a train accident resulting in damage of $25,000 or more to a passenger train, including railroad and nonrailroad property.

What's happening now May 26, 2023

Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3705: HOWIE Act. 118th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-3705/
MLA
"H.R. 3705: HOWIE Act." 118th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-3705/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3705, 118th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-3705/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3705: HOWIE Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-3705/)
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