[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6701 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6701
To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for emergency relief
for repair or reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by extreme heat,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 12, 2025
Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for emergency relief
for repair or reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by extreme heat,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Heat Emergency Assistance for
Transportation Act of 2025'' or the ``HEAT Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Extreme heat, particularly heat waves, are an emerging
threat to critical transportation infrastructure.
(2) Extreme heat is damaging critical transportation
infrastructure.
(3) Research indicates that high temperatures cause bridge
expansion joints to crack or fail, accelerate the degradation
of concrete and steel, and weaken structural integrity over
time.
(4) Aging infrastructure is at heightened risk.
(5) Assessments show more than 85,000 girder or movable
bridges are over 50 years old in the United States, carrying
860 million vehicle crossings each day.
(6) Many such bridges designed for historical conditions
and are now experiencing stress beyond their original design.
(7) Movable bridges may face operational challenges,
including breakdowns during heat waves.
(8) Steel expansion during extreme heat can cause
drawbridges and similar structures to jam or fail to close
properly.
(9) Emergency cooling measures, such as spraying bridges
with water, have already been required in cities such as New
York, Chicago, Portland, and Seattle.
(10) Extreme heat threatens economic continuity.
(11) Unplanned bridge closures and roadway restrictions
caused by thermal stress interrupt freight movement, supply
chains, and daily commuting, imposing significant costs on
local economies and national productivity.
(12) Federal disaster programs omit extreme heat.
(13) While section 125 of title 23, United States Code,
recognizes disasters such as flooding, severe storms, and
wildfires, extreme heat is not explicitly identified as a
qualifying event for Emergency Relief funding, despite its
clear infrastructure consequences.
(14) Communities can face disproportionate risks.
(15) Rural areas and regions with limited redundancy in
transportation networks are particularly at high risk, as heat-
related transportation disruptions can isolate entire
communities, delay emergency response, and endanger public
safety.
SEC. 3. EMERGENCY RELIEF.
Section 125 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``extreme heat,''
after ``severe storm,'';
(2) in subsection (b) by inserting ``This subsection shall
not apply to a bridge with respect to which physical
deterioration was substantially caused by extreme heat
exposure.'' after the period at the end; and
(3) by striking ``extreme weather, flooding, and other
natural disasters'' each place it appears and inserting
``extreme weather, heat waves, flooding, and other natural
disasters''.
SEC. 4. STUDY ON EXTREME HEAT EVENTS.
(a) Study Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall enter into
an agreement with the Transportation Research Board of the National
Academies, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, shall
conduct a study to--
(1) evaluate the measurable costs of an extreme heat event,
particularly long-duration, high intensity heat waves;
(2) provide recommendations on how to track damage from
extreme heat events, separate from regular deterioration over
time; and
(3) to examine how the Secretary may better assist State
departments of transportation, public transit systems, Amtrak,
freight rail systems, and other interested parties with
tracking damage from extreme heat events.
(b) Consultation Requirements.--In carrying out the study under
this section, the Transportation Research Board shall consult with the
Secretary, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,
State departments of transportation, public transit systems, Amtrak,
freight rail systems, stakeholders with expertise in engineering and
natural disaster management, and educational and technical groups in
extreme heat and infrastructure safety.
(c) Report Required.--The Transportation Research Board shall
submit to the Secretary, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on
Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report detailing the
results of the study under this section.
SEC. 5. BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Transportation shall issue a best management practices
report to reflect new information and advancements in highway and
bridge safety as related to extreme heat.
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