This bill restores long-standing protections by requiring trains entering the U.S. from Mexico to stop at the border for mandatory crew changes and safety checks.
Require trains entering the United States from Mexico to stop at the border for crew changes, safety checks, and compliance with U.S. worker authorization and safety standards before continuing domestic operations.
Occurrences
Gooden Cracks Down on Mexican Rail Crews Operating Inside U.S.
introduced the Protecting American Railroad Workers Jobs Act, legislation to close a dangerous loophole that allows foreign rail crews to operate deep into the United States... This bill restores long-standing protections by requiring trains entering the U.S. from Mexico to stop at the border for mandatory crew changes and safety checks.
Evidence
The Congressional Record lists H.R. 8468 as introduced by Mr. Pappas for himself and Mr. Gooden: a bill to protect the jobs of American railroad workers in cross-border traffic with Mexico, referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
FRA said crews from Mexico may not operate more than 10 miles into the U.S. from their point of entry, uncertified crews must stop at the customs inspection point, interpreters must be certified under safety regulations, and enforcement action may follow for unsafe English-language deficiencies.
Assessments
Gooden materially advanced the promised policy by introducing or co-sponsoring H.R. 8468, which directly would require border crew interchange, safety checks, and U.S.-authorized domestic crews. But the bill was only introduced and referred to committee, with no enactment shown. Separately, FRA action in the same term restricted Mexican crews to within 10 miles, required uncertified crews to stop at customs inspection points, and addressed safety-language compliance. That partially implements the safety and operating-limit pieces, but it does not fully require border crew changes for all trains or the full U.S. worker authorization standard promised.