H.R. 8012: HOWIE Act

119th Congress · introduced 2026-03-19 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

HOWIE Act

Plain summary

Helping Oversee and Ward off Infrastructure Emergencies Act or the HOWIE Act This bill directs the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to revise current railroad accident reporting requirements to include additional causes of damage. Specifically, FRA must 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

HOWIE Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] · 0 cosponsors

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Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119hr8012.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/hr>

Record fed-us-cong119-hr8012 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills