Press Releases

Washington, D.C — 7/1/25… Last week, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Salud Carbajal (CA-24), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, reintroduced their bipartisan Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act. The legislation would strengthen workplace protections for railroad yardmasters by giving them the same protections as other railroad yard workers. Yardmasters are the traffic controllers of our country’s rail yards and terminals. 

“I’m proud to join Rep. Carbajal in reintroducing the Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act, a commonsense, bipartisan bill that closes a long-overdue gap in rail safety policy. Yardmasters are essential to the safe and smooth operation of our freight rail system, and it’s only right that they receive the same duty hour protections as other rail employees. This legislation is about protecting workers, improving safety, and ensuring our rail network continues to serve communities and commerce across the country effectively,” said Congressman Lawler.

“Yardmasters are the traffic controllers of our country’s railroad network. Like their counterparts in aviation, they play a vital role in ensuring the safety of everyone traveling by train,” said Congressman Carbajal. “My bipartisan legislation will improve working conditions and support the professionals who keep America’s railroads running safely and efficiently.”   

The bipartisan Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act would include railroad yardmasters under federal hours of service requirements which currently cover safety-sensitive rail workers such as locomotive engineers, conductors, switchmen, dispatchers, and signal employees.

The bill ensures that a yardmaster may not be required or allowed to remain on duty for more than a total of 12 hours, and then must receive a minimum of 10 hours off duty. First introduced in 2019, the Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act passed the House in 2020 as part of the INVEST in America Act. The bill has also been endorsed by SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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Full text of the bill can be found HERE.