Part oftransportation →

HR3194FEDERALin_committee

The LOCOMOTIVES Act (H.R. 3194)

Original title: LOCOMOTIVES Act

May 5, 2025

transportation environmental regulation railroads Clean Air Act federal preemption

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.May 5, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

If passed, this bill would remove the authority of states to enforce stricter air quality regulations on locomotives than those set by the federal government, potentially impacting state-level environmental compliance programs for rail operators.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

State environmental agencies

These agencies would lose the authority to set or enforce emission standards for locomotives that are stricter than federal requirements.

Railroad operators

These companies would be subject to a single set of federal emission standards rather than potentially varying state-level regulations.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill proposes to amend the to prevent individual states from setting their own emission standards for existing locomotives and locomotive engines. It aims to establish a uniform federal standard for these engines when used in commercial railroad transportation.

Why It Matters

Key Facts

The bill prohibits states from establishing or enforcing emission standards for existing locomotives and engines used in locomotives.
The legislation amends Section 209(e)(1) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7543(e)(1)).
The prohibition applies to all locomotives engaged in common carrier railroad transportation for compensation as defined in 49 U.S.C. 10102.
The bill expands the scope of federal preemption regarding nonroad engines and vehicles.
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on May 5, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this bill change regarding locomotive emissions?

It prevents states from creating their own emission rules for locomotives, effectively making federal standards the only ones that apply.

Does this apply to all trains?

The bill specifically targets locomotives and engines engaged in railroad transportation for compensation.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Federalization of Locomotive Standards

The bill represents a move to consolidate environmental regulatory power at the federal level by explicitly barring state-level intervention in locomotive emissions.

Clean Air Act House of Representatives

Connected Entities

personJohn Moolenaar“U.S. Representative who introduced the bill.”Map →

organizationCommittee on Energy and Commerce“The House committee to which the bill was referred.”Map →

otherClean Air Act“The federal law being amended by this bill.”Map →

personJay Obernolte“U.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.”Map →

personGoldman of Texas“U.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy75
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools