I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7237 

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a grant program 

to construct barriers near rail lines that are adjacent to a residential 

structure, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 5, 2024 

Ms. NORTON 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 

grant program to construct barriers near rail lines that 

are adjacent to a residential structure, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Homes 

5 from Trains Act of 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO CONSTRUCT BARRIERS NEAR 

2 RAIL LINES ADJACENT TO A RESIDENTIAL 

3 STRUCTURE. 

4 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

5 the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 

6 of Transportation shall establish a program to provide 

7 grants to eligible recipients to design or construct a bar8 rier to mitigate rail activity that may negatively impact 

9 a residential structure or its use, including— 

10 (1) damage caused by a train derailment; 

11 (2) noise caused by a train; and 

12 (3) vibrations caused by a train. 

13 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant provided under this 

14 section may be used to design or construct a barrier lo15 cated— 

16 (1) adjacent to a rail line; and 

17 (2) between the rail line and any residential 

18 area that— 

19 (A) includes structures; and 

20 (B) is affected, or potentially affected, by 

21 any rail activity described in subsection (a). 

22 (c) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary may 

23 make a grant under the program established in subsection 

24 (a) to the following: 

25 (1) A State. 

26 (2) A group of States. 


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1 (3) An Interstate Compact. 

2 (4) A public agency or publicly chartered au3 thority established by one or more States. 

4 (5) A political subdivision of a State. 

5 (6) Amtrak or another rail carrier that provides 

6 intercity rail passenger transportation. 

7 (7) A Class II railroad or Class III railroad or 

8 a holding company of a Class II or Class III rail9 road, or an association representing a Class II or III 

10 railroad. 

11 (8) Any rail carrier in partnership with one or 

12 more entities described in paragraphs (1) through 

13 (5). 

14 (d) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 

15 the program established in subsection (a), an entity de16 scribed in subsection (c) shall submit to the Secretary an 

17 application in such form, at such time, and containing 

18 such information as the Secretary determines appropriate. 

19 (e) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

20 ‘‘State’’ means each of the several States, the District of 

21 Columbia, and each commonwealth, territory, or posses22 sion of the United States. 

23 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

24 authorized to be appropriated to carry out the program 


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1 established in subsection (a) $100,000,000 for each of fis2 cal years 2025 through 2029. 

Æ 


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