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119-hr-8468119th Congress

Protecting American Railroad Workers’ Jobs Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]

Introduced

Summary

Would require U.S.-based, legally authorized train crews for freight crossing the southern border. This bill would also require trains entering the United States from Mexico to stop at the southern border for a crew interchange and any federally required safety testing.

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  • Train crews: Crew members who operate trains into the United States after the border stop would need to be U.S. nationals or aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States, have a primary reporting point in the United States, and perform no duties while physically outside the United States.
  • Railroad carriers: Carriers operating freight across the southern border would have to pause trains at the border to swap crews and complete federal safety checks before continuing into the United States.
  • Federal regulators: The Secretary of Transportation would be charged with writing and enforcing the new border-crossing and crew rules under Title 49.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

New rules for cross-border train crews

If enacted, the bill would require railroad carriers to stop freight trains arriving from Mexico at the southern border to swap crews and run federally required safety tests. After that stop, only people who are U.S. nationals or who live in the United States and are lawfully authorized to work in the United States would be allowed to operate those trains. Those operators would have to have a primary reporting point in the United States. Operators would not be allowed to perform railroad duties while physically outside the United States.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]

NH • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Hunt, Wesley [R-TX-38]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 7/9/2026

  • Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 8/27/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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