H.R. 6704

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6704 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6704

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a competition to 
accelerate vehicle integration of passive, anti-drunk driving 
technology, with a cash prize awarded to an entity that demonstrates 
technology that is ready for integration into passenger motor vehicles, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 15, 2025

Ms. Gillen (for herself, Mr. Lawler, and Mrs. Dingell) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a competition to 
accelerate vehicle integration of passive, anti-drunk driving 
technology, with a cash prize awarded to an entity that demonstrates 
technology that is ready for integration into passenger motor vehicles, 
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 ``Drunk Driving Prevention and 
Enforcement Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Alcohol-impaired driving is a leading cause of death 
and injury on our nation's roadways, with more than 12,000 
people killed every year and hundreds of thousands seriously 
injured in drunk driving crashes annually. These deaths and 
injuries are 100 percent preventable.
(2) Congress has directed the integration of passive, 
advanced anti-drunk driving in-vehicle technology into all new 
passenger motor vehicles under Section 24220 of the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).
(3) Accelerated deployment are needed to bring forward 
passive, consumer-ready vehicle-integrated technologies 
designed to prevent drunk driving.
(4) Public-private innovation prize competitions have 
proven effective in spurring rapid advancements and 
breakthroughs in science, engineering, safety and technology.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish a competitive 
prize award program to incentivize deployment of effective, passive, 
anti-drunk driving technology that is consumer-ready for integration 
into passenger motor vehicles.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIZE COMPETITION.

(a) Authority.--The Secretary of Transportation, acting through the 
Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
shall carry out a program on a competitive basis to award a cash prize 
that the Secretary determines is appropriate to recognize outstanding 
achievement in the development of passive, advanced anti-drunk driving 
technology to--
(1) implement the adoption of breath-based, touch-based, or 
other sensor technology to prevent drivers with a blood alcohol 
concentration at or above the legal limit from operating a 
vehicle; or
(2) install consumer-ready, passive, advanced anti-drunk 
driving technologies in vehicles to eliminate drunk driving.
(b) Competition Requirements.--The program established under 
subsection (a) shall--
(1) use a competitive process for the selection of a 
recipient of a cash prize;
(2) include the widely advertised solicitation of 
submissions;
(3) make available a prize purse of not less than 
$45,000,000 to be awarded to the winner of the competition who 
is able to demonstrate consumer-ready, passive, advanced anti-
drunk driving technology for vehicle integration; and
(4) be open to individuals, private sector entities, 
nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and consortia 
thereof.
(c) Relationship to Other Authority.--The program established under 
subsection (a) may be carried out in conjunction with, or in addition 
to, the exercise of any other authority of the Department of 
Transportation.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purposes of carrying 
out this Act, including the prize purse, administration, evaluation, 
and outreach, there is authorized to be appropriated out of the Highway 
Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) $50,000,000 to remain 
available until expended, except that such amount may not be expended 
after the last day of fiscal year 2028.
(e) Congressional Notice.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 15 days after a cash prize 
has been awarded under this section, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Appropriations and the 
Committee of Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate written notice of such award.
(2) Contents.--Each notice submitted under paragraph (1) 
shall include--
(A) a description of the technology development for 
which the cash prize was awarded;
(B) the outcomes and benefits that the competition 
winner anticipates generating; and
(C) recommendations for further accelerating 
deployment of anti-drunk driving technology.
(f) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Appropriations and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Appropriations and the Committee of Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report that contains--
(1) details on the results of the program; and
(2) additional steps the Department can take to ensure 
vehicle integration continues at a rapid pace, including 
through implementation of section 24220 of the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).

SEC. 4. NHTSA TRAFFIC SAFETY ENFORCEMENT CENTER OF EXCELLENCE.

(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a Traffic 
Safety Enforcement Center of Excellence within the Department of 
Transportation, to provide leadership and technical assistance to 
States and law enforcement agencies to maximize efficient and effective 
ways to conduct traffic safety enforcement of hazardous driving 
behaviors with the goal to reduce fatalities and injuries on the roads 
of the United States.
(b) Duties.--The Traffic Safety Enforcement Center of Excellence 
established under subsection (a) shall--
(1) serve as a central location within the Department of 
Transportation for expertise in traffic safety enforcement;
(2) provide State highway safety offices and law 
enforcement agencies across the country with centralized 
expertise, tools, and support;
(3) promote evidence-based strategies on what works in 
hazardous driving behavior enforcement, including targeted, 
cost-effective drunk-driving patrols, speed enforcement best 
practices, and coordinated traffic safety campaigns proven to 
reduce roadway fatalities and injuries;
(4) establish best-practice protocols for enforcement 
operations, with the goal of improving outcomes based on data 
and research;
(5) develop and deliver standardized training on the use of 
data for hot spot detection, drug-impaired driving enforcement 
strategies, speed management, and other risk mitigation of 
death and injury on public roads;
(6) assist States and agencies in using real-time data 
systems to identify high-crash corridors and target enforcement 
resources in the most efficient ways;
(7) help agencies assess current enforcement practices and 
identify gaps;
(8) provide recommendations for hazardous driving behavior 
enforcement plans based on crash data and local context;
(9) assist agencies in using limited resources more 
efficiently through data-driven deployment and risk-based 
enforcement;
(10) help States fully leverage programs under sections 402 
and 405 of title 23, United States Code, by providing technical 
assistance on program development and design and outcome 
measurement tools;
(11) launch model demonstration projects in States or 
cities to test new roadside technologies, data-driven 
deployment models, new enforcement strategies (such as those 
targeting drug-impaired driving), and share results nationally 
to help with the adoption of effective tools;
(12) serve as a national convener for State highway safety 
offices, law enforcement agencies, traffic safety researchers, 
victims and survivors, and public health and traffic safety 
leaders;
(13) collaborate with, and provide support on, traffic 
safety enforcement to all operating administrations of the 
Department of Transportation; and
(14) have a workforce composed of Department of 
Transportation employees, including direct hires or detailees 
from operating administrations of the Department of 
Transportation, Department of Justice, and other Federal 
agencies.
(c) Rule of Construction.--The Traffic Safety Enforcement Center of 
Excellence shall not supersede laws or regulations granting 
certification authorities to Operating Administrations of the 
Department of Transportation.
(d) Report on Staffing Needs.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall report to the 
Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Appropriations and the Committee of Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on staffing needs and the staffing plan 
for the Traffic Safety Enforcement Center of Excellence.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit 
Account) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year 
thereafter to carry out this section.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL DRUG INVOLVED CRASH DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM.

(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to track and analyze 
the role of drugs in serious injury and fatal traffic crashes, 
supporting enforcement, prevention, and research.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Drug involved crash.--The term ``drug involved crash'' 
means a crash causing serious injury or death in which 1 or 
more drivers test positive for impairing substances other than 
alcohol.
(2) Impairing substance.--The term ``impairing substance'' 
means prescription, over-the-counter, controlled, or illicit 
psychoactive drugs affecting driving.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means the 50 States, the 
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
(c) Establishment.--The Administrator of the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration shall establish a national drug involved 
crash data collection system to--
(1) collect standardized toxicology data from States for 
fatal and serious injury crashes;
(2) link crash data with medical, coroner, hospital, and 
emergency medical services records;
(3) provide model protocols for specimen collection, 
testing, and reporting;
(4) operate sentinel sites in multiple States to pilot 
enhanced data collection; and
(5) report annually to Congress and the public on trends, 
substance types, and geographic patterns.
(d) State Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator may award grants to 
States for toxicology labs, specimen collection, training, data 
systems, and data linkage.
(2) Prioritization.--In awarding grants under paragraph 
(1), the Administrator shall prioritize States that contain 
high-fatality, rural, or underserved areas.
(3) Non-federal funds.--The Administrator may require a 
non-Federal match from a State to be eligible for a grant under 
this subsection unless the State demonstrates hardship.
(e) Implementation Timeline.--
(1) Model protocols.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall publish the 
model protocols required under subsection (c)(3).
(2) Sentinel sites.--The Administrator shall ensure that 
the sentinel sites required under subsection (c)(3) are 
operational not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act.
(3) Submission of data.--The Administrator shall ensure 
that the system established under this section has begun 
collecting standardized toxicology data from States for fatal 
and serious injury crashes beginning not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act.
(f) Privacy Protections.--Any data made available to the public 
pursuant to this section shall be deidentified before and used in 
compliance with Federal and State privacy laws, including the Health 
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-
191), as applicable.
(g) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated out of 
the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) 
$30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out 
this section.
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