H.R. 6790

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6790 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6790

To amend title 49, United States Code, to limit railroad carriers from 
blocking railway-highway crossings, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 17, 2025

Ms. Garcia of Texas (for herself, Mr. Mrvan, Ms. Norton, and Mr. 
Kennedy of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to limit railroad carriers from 
blocking railway-highway crossings, 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 ``Don't BLock Our Communities Act'' or 
the ``D-BLOC Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF 10-MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR BLOCKING PUBLIC 
HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSINGS.

(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 201 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 20172. Time limit for blocking public highway-rail grade 
crossing
``(a) Time Limit.--A railroad carrier may not cause a blocked 
crossing incident that is longer than 10 minutes in duration, unless 
the blocked crossing incident is caused by--
``(1) a casualty or serious injury;
``(2) an accident;
``(3) a track obstruction;
``(4) actions necessary to comply with Federal rail safety 
laws, regulations, or orders issued thereunder unless the 
action to comply could reasonably occur at a different time or 
location;
``(5) actions necessary to adhere to section 24308;
``(6) a train fully contained within rail yard limits or 
fully contained in a rail siding;
``(7) an act of God; or
``(8) a derailment or a safety appliance equipment failure 
that prevents the train from advancing.
``(b) Investigation of Frequently Blocked Crossings.--For any 
public highway-rail grade crossing that has had 3 or more blocked 
crossing incidents that exceed the time limit set forth in subsection 
(a) and are reported to the blocked crossing portal, and such incidents 
have occurred on at least 3 calendar days within a 30-day period, the 
Secretary shall--
``(1) provide an electronic notice of the number of 
reported blocked crossing incidents to the railroad carrier 
that owns the public highway-rail grade crossing;
``(2) investigate the causes of the blocked crossing 
incidents; and
``(3) investigate possible measures to reduce the frequency 
and duration of blocked crossing incidents at such grade 
crossing.
``(c) Recordkeeping.--
``(1) In general.--A railroad carrier shall, upon receiving 
a notice under subsection (b), maintain train location data 
records for the public highway-rail grade crossing that was the 
subject of the notice.
``(2) Contents of records.--The train location data records 
required under paragraph (1) shall include--
``(A) a list of all blocked crossing incidents at 
the public highway-rail grade crossing that is the 
subject of the report exceeding 10 minutes;
``(B) the cause of the blocked crossing incident 
(to the extent available);
``(C) train length; and
``(D) the estimated duration of each blocked 
crossing incident.
``(3) Consultation.--Beginning on the date on which a 
railroad carrier receives a notice under subsection (b), the 
Secretary may consult with the carrier for a period of 60 days 
to address concerns with blocked crossing incidents at the 
public highway-rail grade crossing that is the subject of the 
notice.
``(4) Expiration of data collection.--The requirement to 
maintain records under paragraph (1) shall cease with respect 
to a public highway-rail grade crossing noticed under 
subsection (b)(2) if there are no reports submitted to the 
blocked crossing portal for blocked crossing incidents reported 
to occur at such grade crossing during the previous 365 
consecutive calendar days.
``(d) Civil Penalties.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may issue civil penalties 
in accordance with section 21301 to railroad carriers for 
violations of subsection (a) occurring 60 days after the date 
of submission of a notice under subsection (b).
``(2) Release of records.--Upon the request of, and under 
requirements set by, the Secretary, railroad carriers shall 
provide the records maintained pursuant to subsection (c)(1) to 
the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
``(3) Alternate route exemption.--Civil penalties may not 
be issued for violations of subsection (a) that occur at a 
public highway-rail grade crossing if no alternate route 
created by a public highway-rail grade separation exists within 
a half mile by road of such public highway-rail grade crossing.
``(4) Grade separation project.--Civil penalties may not be 
issued for violations of subsection (a) if the violation occurs 
at a public highway-rail grade crossing for which there is a 
proposed grade separation project--
``(A) that has received written agreement from the 
relevant local authorities; and
``(B) for which rail carrier and project funding 
from all parties has been budgeted.
``(5) Considerations.--In determining civil penalties under 
this section, the Secretary shall consider increased penalties 
in a case in which a pattern of the blocked crossing incidents 
continue to cause delays to State or local emergency services.
``(e) Application to Amtrak and Commuter Railroads.--This section 
shall not apply to Amtrak or commuter authorities, including Amtrak and 
commuter authorities' operations run or dispatched by a Class I 
railroad.
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Blocked crossing portal.--The term `blocked crossing 
portal' means the national blocked crossing portal initiated by 
the Federal Railroad Administration in 2019 and required by 
section 22404 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 
U.S.C. 22907 note).
``(2) Blocked crossing incident.--The term `blocked 
crossing incident' means a circumstance in which a train, 
locomotive, rail car, or other rail equipment is stopped in a 
manner that obstructs travel at a public highway-rail grade 
crossing.
``(3) Public highway-rail grade crossing.--The term `public 
highway-rail grade crossing' means a location within a State in 
which a public highway, road, or street, including associated 
sidewalks and pathways, crosses 1 or more railroad tracks at 
grade.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter II of chapter 
201 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new item:

``20172. Time limit for blocking public highway-rail grade crossing.''.

SEC. 3. BLOCKED CROSSING PORTAL.

(a) Blocked Crossing Portal.--Section 22404 of the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 22907 note) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``3-year'';
(2) by striking subsection (h);
(3) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (h); and
(4) by striking subsections (j) and (k) and inserting the 
following:
``(i) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed to invalidate any authority of the Secretary with respect to 
blocked highway-rail grade crossings.''.
(b) Publication of Blocked Crossing Information.--Not later than 60 
days after the date of enactment of the D-BLOC Act, each Class I 
railroad carrier shall publish on the home page of the publicly-
available website of the railroad carrier an active link to the blocked 
crossing portal initiated by the Federal Railroad Administration in 
2019 and required by section 22404 of the Infrastructure Investment and 
Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 22907 note).

SEC. 4. RAILROAD POINT OF CONTACT FOR BLOCKED CROSSING MATTERS.

Section 20152 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``or'' 
at the end;
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
subparagraph (E); and
(iii) by inserting the following after 
subparagraph (C):
``(D) blocked crossing incident, as defined in 
section 20172; or'';
(B) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``paragraph (1)(C) or (D)'' 
and inserting ``subparagraph (C), (D), or (E) 
of paragraph (1)''; and
(ii) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(C) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting a semicolon; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) upon receiving a report of a blocked crossing 
pursuant to paragraph (1)(D), the railroad carrier shall, 
within 14 days of receipt of the report--
``(A) verify that the public highway-rail grade 
crossing, as defined in section 20172, was blocked for 
a period of at least 10 minutes; and
``(B) upon positive verification of the report, 
enter the report into the blocked crossing portal 
initiated by the Federal Railroad Administration in 
2019 and required by section 22404 of the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 22907 
note); and
``(7) promptly inform the Secretary of any update to the 
number maintained under paragraph (1).''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Publication of Telephone Numbers.--The Secretary shall make 
any telephone number established under subsection (a) publicly 
available on the website of the Department of Transportation.''.
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