I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 851 
To establish the position of National Roadway Safety Advocate within the 
Department of Transportation, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 31, 2025 
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 Advo-
cate within the Department of Transportation, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘DOT Victim and Sur-
vivor Advocate Act’’. 
SEC. 2. POSITION OF NATIONAL ROADWAY SAFETY ADVO-
CATE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of Transportation. 
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(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
(3) STAKEHOLDER.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘stake-
holder’’ means— 
(i) a victim or survivor of a road 
crash; and 
(ii) a family member of a victim or 
survivor of a road crash. 
(B) FAMILY
MEMBER.—For purposes of 
subparagraph (A)(ii), the term ‘‘family mem-
ber’’ shall not be limited to a parent, parent-in- 
law, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, sibling, 
spouse, child, or step-child of a victim or sur-
vivor of a road crash. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall establish within the Office of the Under 
Secretary of Transportation for Policy of the De-
partment a position, to be known as the ‘‘National 
Roadway Safety Advocate’’. 
(2) CAREER
POSITION.—The position of Na-
tional Roadway Safety Advocate shall be filled by a 
career appointment. 
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(c) PURPOSES OF THE POSITION.—The purposes of 
the position of the National Roadway Safety Advocate 
are— 
(1) to document and communicate recommenda-
tions from stakeholders to the Secretary on needs, 
objectives, plans, approaches, content, and accom-
plishments of the programs and activities carried out 
by the Department relating to roadway safety; and 
(2) to serve as a resource and point of contact 
for stakeholders on relevant roadway safety issues. 
(d) AUTHORITY AND LIMITATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—The National Roadway Safe-
ty Advocate may— 
(A) provide— 
(i) education on Department activities 
to stakeholders; and 
(ii) means for stakeholders to provide 
the perspective of the stakeholders on 
roadway safety issues to the Department; 
(B) explain Department processes, proce-
dures, scientific principles, and technical infor-
mation to victims of roadway safety incidents 
and advocates in plain language; 
(C) communicate the perspective of stake-
holders within Department processes; 
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(D) provide aggregated feedback on the 
regulatory agenda and activities of the Depart-
ment from stakeholders to the Secretary; 
(E) build relationships with individual 
stakeholders, through establishing consistent 
outreach and dialogue for feedback, to enhance 
the engagement in the mission of the Depart-
ment; 
(F) publish educational materials for en-
hancing stakeholder understanding of activities 
and procedures of the Department in accessible 
formats and venues, with clear and easy to un-
derstand wording, consistent with Department 
policy, in multiple languages; 
(G) consult with and make recommenda-
tions to the Secretary relating to the appoint-
ment of stakeholders who may be appropriate 
for roles in advisory roadway safety committees, 
in accordance with chapter 10 of title 5, United 
States Code; 
(H) meet not less frequently than once per 
quarter with the Secretary to highlight issues, 
make recommendations for resolving problems 
and alleviating stakeholder roadway safety con-
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cerns, and summarize input from stakeholders 
on proposed roadway safety initiatives; 
(I) refer questions to the Office of the 
General Counsel or the Office of the Under Sec-
retary of Transportation for Policy, as appro-
priate; 
(J) work collaboratively with other offices 
in the Department that are working to educate 
and communicate with stakeholders on roadway 
safety issues; and 
(K) perform such other duties as may be 
determined by the Secretary. 
(2) 
LIMITATIONS.—The 
National 
Roadway 
Safety Advocate may not— 
(A) provide legal notice, counsel, or deter-
minations of any kind; 
(B) set or delay any agency deadlines; 
(C) make Department decisions; 
(D) create or authorize Department poli-
cies, priorities, or activities; 
(E) modify or interfere with any laws, reg-
ulations, related policies, practices, or proce-
dures followed or enforced by the Department; 
(F) prevent other Department staff from 
working directly with stakeholders; 
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Advocate shall submit to the Secretary an annual re-
port— 
(A) highlighting systemic issues relating to 
roadway safety based on information provided 
by stakeholders; and 
(B) making recommendations on how to 
remedy the issues highlighted under subpara-
graph (A). 
(2) ADDITIONAL REPORTS.—In addition to the 
annual report required under paragraph (1), the Na-
tional Roadway Safety Advocate may submit to the 
Secretary such additional reports, as determined 
necessary by the National Roadway Safety Advocate, 
in accordance with the requirements of that para-
graph. 
Æ 
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