I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3548 
To preclude absolute liability in any action against a property owner or 
contractor for projects receiving Federal financial assistance for infra-
structure and transportation development, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2025 
Mr. LANGWORTHY (for himself, Ms. TENNEY, and Ms. STEFANIK) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To preclude absolute liability in any action against a property 
owner or contractor for projects receiving Federal finan-
cial assistance for infrastructure and transportation de-
velopment, 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 ‘‘Infrastructure Expan-
sion Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. PRESERVATION OF FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSIST-
ANCE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANS-
PORTATION DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) 
NO
ABSOLUTE
LIABILITY
ON
CERTAIN 
PROJECTS.—For any project that receives Federal finan-
cial assistance, benefits from Federal tax incentives, or is 
subject to Federal permitting requirements, no action on 
the basis of absolute liability may be instituted by a cov-
ered person against a property owner or a party to a con-
tract or subcontract relating to the property that is the 
subject of the project for any injury associated with an 
elevation or gravity-related risk occurring on that project. 
(b) COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE LIABILITY STAND-
ARD FOR CERTAIN CLAIMS.—For any project described in 
subsection (a)— 
(1) a State may not impose absolute liability in 
any form for elevation or gravity-related risks; and 
(2) a comparative negligence liability standard 
shall apply to any claim brought by a covered person 
against a property owner or contractor for an injury 
associated with an elevation or gravity-related risk in 
which— 
(A) such negligence is a proximate cause of 
an injury to a person; and 
(B) State law would otherwise apply abso-
lute liability as the basis for such a claim. 
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(c) FEDERAL PREEMPTION.—This Act shall super-
sede and preempt any State law that imposes absolute li-
ability standards for elevation or gravity-related risks on 
projects receiving Federal financial assistance. States shall 
adopt comparative negligence standards pursuant to this 
Act for claims arising under a project described in sub-
section (a). 
(d) FEDERAL COURT JURISDICTION.—All claims 
arising under this Act shall be subject to exclusive jurisdic-
tion of the Federal courts of the United States, precluding 
State courts from applying absolute liability standards to 
covered projects. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ABSOLUTE LIABILITY.—The term ‘‘absolute 
liability’’ means liability for a personal injury or 
death that is imposed without consideration of the 
responsibility of the injured person, including failure 
to follow safety instructions or safe work practices in 
accordance with training provided, failure to utilize 
provided safety equipment or devices, impairment by 
the use of drugs or alcohol, or involvement in a 
criminal act, when such failure, impairment, or act 
is a proximate cause of an injury to such person. 
(2) COVERED
PERSON.—The term ‘‘covered 
person’’ means any person who supervises or per-
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forms any work on or who is otherwise affiliated 
with a project. 
(3) ELEVATION OR GRAVITY-RELATED RISK.— 
The term ‘‘elevation or gravity-related risk’’ means 
a hazard related to the effects of gravity either due 
to the difference between the elevation level of the 
required work and a lower level or a difference be-
tween the elevation level where the worker is posi-
tioned and the higher level of the materials or load 
being hoisted or secured. 
(4) FEDERAL
FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE.—The 
term ‘‘Federal financial assistance’’ means any di-
rect or indirect funding, including grants, loans, loan 
guarantees, tax credits, Build America Bonds, 
bonds, or other incentives provided by the Federal 
Government to support infrastructure or transpor-
tation development. 
(5) PROJECT.—The term ‘‘project’’ means— 
(A) the construction, erection, demolition, 
repairing, altering, painting, cleaning, or point-
ing of a highway, bridge, tunnel, airport, rail-
way, bus or railroad station, depot, pier, harbor, 
park, building, support facility, or utilities; and 
(B) any infrastructure associated with an 
activity described in subparagraph (A), includ-
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