I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8349 

To establish the position of National Roadway Safety Advocate within the 

Department of Transportation, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 10, 2024 

Mr. COHEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To establish the position of National Roadway Safety Advocate within the Department of Transportation, 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 ‘‘DOT Victim and Sur5 vivor Advocate Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. POSITION OF NATIONAL ROADWAY SAFETY ADVO7 CATE. 

8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 (1) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 

10 means the Department of Transportation. 


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1 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of Transportation. 

3 (3) STAKEHOLDER.— 

4 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘stake5 holder’’ means— 

6 (i) a victim or survivor of a road 

7 crash; and 

8 (ii) a family member of a victim or 

9 survivor of a road crash. 

10 (B) FAMILY MEMBER.—For purposes of 

11 subparagraph (A)(ii), the term ‘‘family mem12 ber’’ shall not be limited to a parent, parent-in13 law, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, sibling, 

14 spouse, child, or step-child of a victim or sur15 vivor of a road crash. 

16 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

18 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec19 retary shall establish within the Office of the Under 

20 Secretary of Transportation for Policy of the De21 partment a position, to be known as the ‘‘National 

22 Roadway Safety Advocate’’. 

23 (2) CAREER POSITION.—The position of Na24 tional Roadway Safety Advocate shall be filled by a 

25 career appointment. 


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1 (c) PURPOSES OF THE POSITION.—The purposes of 

2 the position of the National Roadway Safety Advocate 

3 are— 

4 (1) to document and communicate recommenda5 tions from stakeholders to the Secretary on needs, 

6 objectives, plans, approaches, content, and accom7 plishments of the programs and activities carried out 

8 by the Department relating to roadway safety; and 

9 (2) to serve as a resource and point of contact 

10 for stakeholders on relevant roadway safety issues. 

11 (d) AUTHORITY AND LIMITATIONS.— 

12 (1) AUTHORITY.—The National Roadway Safe13 ty Advocate may— 

14 (A) provide— 

15 (i) education on Department activities 

16 to stakeholders; and 

17 (ii) means for stakeholders to provide 

18 the perspective of the stakeholders on 

19 roadway safety issues to the Department; 

20 (B) explain Department processes, proce21 dures, scientific principles, and technical infor22 mation to victims of roadway safety incidents 

23 and advocates in plain language; 

24 (C) communicate the perspective of stake25 holders within Department processes; 


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1 (D) provide aggregated feedback on the 

2 regulatory agenda and activities of the Depart3 ment from stakeholders to the Secretary; 

4 (E) build relationships with individual 

5 stakeholders, through establishing consistent 

6 outreach and dialogue for feedback, to enhance 

7 the engagement in the mission of the Depart8 ment; 

9 (F) publish educational materials for en10 hancing stakeholder understanding of activities 

11 and procedures of the Department in accessible 

12 formats and venues, with clear and easy to un13 derstand wording, consistent with Department 

14 policy, in multiple languages; 

15 (G) consult with and make recommenda16 tions to the Secretary relating to the appoint17 ment of stakeholders who may be appropriate 

18 for roles in advisory roadway safety committees, 

19 in accordance with chapter 10 of title 5, United 

20 States Code; 

21 (H) meet not less frequently than once per 

22 quarter with the Secretary to highlight issues, 

23 make recommendations for resolving problems 

24 and alleviating stakeholder roadway safety conVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:53 Jun 09, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8349.IH H8349

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1 cerns, and summarize input from stakeholders 

2 on proposed roadway safety initiatives; 

3 (I) refer questions to the Office of the 

4 General Counsel or the Office of the Under Sec5 retary of Transportation for Policy, as appro6 priate; 

7 (J) work collaboratively with other offices 

8 in the Department that are working to educate 

9 and communicate with stakeholders on roadway 

10 safety issues; and 

11 (K) perform such other duties as may be 

12 determined by the Secretary. 

13 (2) LIMITATIONS.—The National Roadway 

14 Safety Advocate may not— 

15 (A) provide legal notice, counsel, or deter16 minations of any kind; 

17 (B) set or delay any agency deadlines; 

18 (C) make Department decisions; 

19 (D) create or authorize Department poli20 cies, priorities, or activities; 

21 (E) modify or interfere with any laws, reg22 ulations, related policies, practices, or proce23 dures followed or enforced by the Department; 

24 (F) prevent other Department staff from 

25 working directly with stakeholders; 


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1 (G) disclose or discuss any enforcement 

2 matters that are under investigation, in litiga3 tion, or the subject of a civil penalty investiga4 tion or any other pre-litigation or litigation pro5 ceeding; or 

6 (H) disclose or discuss any human re7 source matters with individuals outside of the 

8 Department. 

9 (e) REPORT TO OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY

10 OF TRANSPORTATION FOR POLICY.—The National Road11 way Safety Advocate shall report within the Office of the 

12 Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy of the De13 partment. 

14 (f) SUPPORT.—The Office of the Under Secretary of 

15 Transportation for Policy of the Department shall provide 

16 necessary funding, logistics, and administrative support to 

17 the National Roadway Safety Advocate as necessary. 

18 (g) ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS.—The Department shall 

19 ensure that the National Roadway Safety Advocate has 

20 full and timely access to the documents of the Depart21 ment, as necessary, to carry out the functions of the Na22 tional Roadway Safety Advocate. 

23 (h) REPORTS REQUIRED.— 

24 (1) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than Novem25 ber 15 of each year, the National Roadway Safety 


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1 Advocate shall submit to the Secretary an annual re2 port— 

3 (A) highlighting systemic issues relating to 

4 roadway safety based on information provided 

5 by stakeholders; and 

6 (B) making recommendations on how to 

7 remedy the issues highlighted under subpara8 graph (A). 

9 (2) ADDITIONAL REPORTS.—In addition to the 

10 annual report required under paragraph (1), the Na11 tional Roadway Safety Advocate may submit to the 

12 Secretary such additional reports, as determined 

13 necessary by the National Roadway Safety Advocate, 

14 in accordance with the requirements of that para15 graph. 

Æ 


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