H.R. 6701

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6701 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6701

To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for emergency relief 
for repair or reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by extreme heat, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 12, 2025

Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for emergency relief 
for repair or reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by extreme heat, 
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Heat Emergency Assistance for 
Transportation Act of 2025'' or the ``HEAT Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Extreme heat, particularly heat waves, are an emerging 
threat to critical transportation infrastructure.
(2) Extreme heat is damaging critical transportation 
infrastructure.
(3) Research indicates that high temperatures cause bridge 
expansion joints to crack or fail, accelerate the degradation 
of concrete and steel, and weaken structural integrity over 
time.
(4) Aging infrastructure is at heightened risk.
(5) Assessments show more than 85,000 girder or movable 
bridges are over 50 years old in the United States, carrying 
860 million vehicle crossings each day.
(6) Many such bridges designed for historical conditions 
and are now experiencing stress beyond their original design.
(7) Movable bridges may face operational challenges, 
including breakdowns during heat waves.
(8) Steel expansion during extreme heat can cause 
drawbridges and similar structures to jam or fail to close 
properly.
(9) Emergency cooling measures, such as spraying bridges 
with water, have already been required in cities such as New 
York, Chicago, Portland, and Seattle.
(10) Extreme heat threatens economic continuity.
(11) Unplanned bridge closures and roadway restrictions 
caused by thermal stress interrupt freight movement, supply 
chains, and daily commuting, imposing significant costs on 
local economies and national productivity.
(12) Federal disaster programs omit extreme heat.
(13) While section 125 of title 23, United States Code, 
recognizes disasters such as flooding, severe storms, and 
wildfires, extreme heat is not explicitly identified as a 
qualifying event for Emergency Relief funding, despite its 
clear infrastructure consequences.
(14) Communities can face disproportionate risks.
(15) Rural areas and regions with limited redundancy in 
transportation networks are particularly at high risk, as heat-
related transportation disruptions can isolate entire 
communities, delay emergency response, and endanger public 
safety.

SEC. 3. EMERGENCY RELIEF.

Section 125 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``extreme heat,'' 
after ``severe storm,'';
(2) in subsection (b) by inserting ``This subsection shall 
not apply to a bridge with respect to which physical 
deterioration was substantially caused by extreme heat 
exposure.'' after the period at the end; and
(3) by striking ``extreme weather, flooding, and other 
natural disasters'' each place it appears and inserting 
``extreme weather, heat waves, flooding, and other natural 
disasters''.

SEC. 4. STUDY ON EXTREME HEAT EVENTS.

(a) Study Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall enter into 
an agreement with the Transportation Research Board of the National 
Academies, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, shall 
conduct a study to--
(1) evaluate the measurable costs of an extreme heat event, 
particularly long-duration, high intensity heat waves;
(2) provide recommendations on how to track damage from 
extreme heat events, separate from regular deterioration over 
time; and
(3) to examine how the Secretary may better assist State 
departments of transportation, public transit systems, Amtrak, 
freight rail systems, and other interested parties with 
tracking damage from extreme heat events.
(b) Consultation Requirements.--In carrying out the study under 
this section, the Transportation Research Board shall consult with the 
Secretary, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
State departments of transportation, public transit systems, Amtrak, 
freight rail systems, stakeholders with expertise in engineering and 
natural disaster management, and educational and technical groups in 
extreme heat and infrastructure safety.
(c) Report Required.--The Transportation Research Board shall 
submit to the Secretary, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report detailing the 
results of the study under this section.

SEC. 5. BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES REPORT.

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall issue a best management practices 
report to reflect new information and advancements in highway and 
bridge safety as related to extreme heat.
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