,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cihg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #d1     
#bjbf,ms4 ,baldwin 7for herself and ,mr4
 ,hawley7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1  
and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #di to include certain      
requirements regarding visual track     
inspections1 and for other purposes4    
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,secure ,tracks ,act4  #b4      
,track inspections  7a7 ,in general     
,subchapter ,,ii of chapter #bja of     
title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following3  #bjagb4 ,protecting visual  
track inspections and incorporating     
automated track inspections  7a7        
,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7     
,class #a track2 ,class #b track2 ,class
 #c track2 ,class #d track2 ,class #e   
track ,the terms ,class #a track1 ,class
 #b track1 ,class #c track1 ,class #d   

track1 and ,class #e track have the     
meanings given such terms in section    
#bac4i7;a7 of title #di1 ,code of       
,federal ,regulations 7as in effect on  
,january #a1 #bjbf74  7#b7 ,main line   
,the term ,main line has the meaning    
given such term in section #bcf4ajjc of 
title #di1 ,code of ,federal            
,regulations 7as in effect on ,january  
#a1 #bjbf74  7#c7 ,qualified inspector  
,the term qualified inspector means a   
person designated as a qualified person 
to inspect track for defects under      
section #bac4g7;b7 of title #di1 ,code  
of ,federal ,regulations 7as in effect  
on ,january #a1 #bjbf74  7#d7 ,track    
,geometry ,measurement ,system ,the term
 ,track ,geometry ,measurement ,system  
has the meaning given such term in      
section #bac4ccc of title #di1 ,code of 
,federal ,regulations 7as in effect on  
,january #a1 #bjbf74  7b7 ,minimum      
frequency for visual track inspections  
,all main line track designated for     
operation at ,class #c speeds or higher 

under section #bac4i of title #di1 ,code
 of ,federal ,regulations1 shall be     
subject to visual inspection not less   
frequently than twice each week1 with at
 least #a calendar day interval between 
each inspections by a qualified         
inspector4  7c7 ,immediate remediation  
of safety defects ,any defect or unsafe 
condition identified by any inspection1 
detection1 or monitoring method shall be
 corrected1 protected1 or removed from  
service immediately upon detection1     
consistent with the requirements of part
 #bac of title #di1 ,code of ,federal   
,regulations4  7d7 ,remediation by      
qualified person ,if a qualified        
inspector making track inspections finds
 a deviation from the requirements of   
part #bac of title #di1 ,code of        
,federal ,regulations1 the qualified    
inspector shall-- 7#a7 immediately      
initiate remedial action2 and  7#b7 have
 the sole authority to authorize any    
subsequent movements to facilitate      
repairs on track that is out of service4

  7e7 ,prohibition on granting waivers  
that reduce safety coverage             
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 including section #bjajc of this   
title1 the ,secretary of ,transportation
 may not grant a waiver1 exemption1 or  
modification of any safety regulation   
issued under chapter ,,ii of subtitle ,b
 of title #di1 ,code of ,federal        
,regulations1 if the proposed           
alternative inspection1 detection1 or   
monitoring method fails to identify or  
detect all defect conditions defined or 
recognized as unsafe under applicable   
,federal ,railroad ,administration      
regulations4  7f7 ,automated track      
inspection requirements ,not later than 
#a year after the date of the enactment 
of this section1 the ,secretary shall   
update subparts ,f and ,g of part #bac  
of title #di1 ,code of ,federal         
,regulations1 to require that a         
qualifying ,track ,geometry ,measurement
 ,system 7in this section referred to as
 ,,tgms7 operate over the following     

track classifications at the following  
frequencies3 7#a7 ,for operations at a  
qualified cant deficiency 7,eu7 of more 
than #e inches on ,classes #a through #e
 track1 ,,tgms shall operate at least #d
 times per calendar year and at least   
#dc days shall elapse between ,,tgms    
inspections4  7#b7 ,for ,class #a track1
 operating more than #ae1jjj1jjj gross  
tons annually1 ,,tgms shall operate at  
least once per calendar year and at     
least #agj days shall elapse between    
,,tgms inspections4  7#c7 ,for ,class #b
 track-- 7,a7 operating less than       
#ae1jjj1jjj gross tons annually1 ,,tgms 
shall operate at least once per calendar
 year and at least #agj days shall      
elapse between ,,tgms inspections2 and  
7,b7 operating more than #ae1jjj1jjj    
gross tons annually1 ,,tgms shall       
operate at least twice per calendar year
 and at least #abj days shall elapse    
between ,,tgms inspections4  7#d7 ,for  
,class #c track-- 7,a7 operating fewer  
than #ae1jjj1jjj gross tons annually1   

,,tgms shall operate at least twice per 
calendar year and at least #abj days    
shall elapse between ,,tgms inspections2
 and  7,b7 operating more than          
#ae1jjj1jjj gross tons annually1 ,,tgms 
shall operate at least #c times per     
calendar year and at least #ij days     
shall elapse between ,,tgms inspections4
  7#e7 ,for ,class #d track-- 7,a7      
operating fewer than #ae1jjj1jjj gross  
tons annually1 ,,tgms shall operate at  
least #c times per calendar year and at 
least #ij days shall elapse between     
,,tgms inspections2 and  7,b7 operating 
more than #ae1jjj1jjj gross tons        
annually1 ,,tgms shall operate at least 
#d times per calendar year and at least 
#dc days shall elapse between ,,tgms    
inspections4  7#f7 ,for ,class #e track1
 ,,tgms shall operate at least #d times 
per calendar year and at least #dc days 
shall elapse between ,,tgms inspections4
  7#g7 ,for ,class #f and ,class #g     
track1 ,,tgms shall operate at least    
twice within any #abj-;day period and at

 least #be days shall elapse between    
,,tgms inspections4  7#h7 ,for ,class #h
 track1 ,,tgms shall operate at least   
twice within any #fj-;day period and at 
least #ab days shall elapse between     
,,tgms inspections4  7#i7 ,for ,class #i
 track1 ,,tgms shall operate at least   
twice within any #cj-;day period and at 
least #f days shall elapse between      
,,tgms inspections4  7#aj7 ,for         
crossovers where the track speed is more
 than #cj miles per hour1 ,,tgms shall  
operate at least twice per calendar year
 and at least #abj days shall elapse    
between ,,tgms inspections4  7g7 ,fixing
 deviation requirements ,not later than 
#a year after the date of the enactment 
of this section1 the ,secretary shall   
update part #bac of title #di1 ,code of 
,federal ,regulations1 to require that  
when any inspection1 whether done by a  
qualified inspector or by a machine     
7including a ,,tgms machine71 finds a   
deviation from the requirements of this 
part1 the qualified inspector or other  

authorized personnel shall immediately  
remediate the deviation in accordance   
with part #bac of title #di1 ,code of   
,federal ,regulations4  7h7 ,applicable 
requirements ,the ,secretary shall      
ensure that any requirements under      
subparts ,f and ,g of part #bac of title
 #di1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1   
including section #bac4ccc1 generated by
 an update to the regulations made      
pursuant to subsection 7f7 or subsection
 7g7 are applied to the applicable track
 ,class4  4  7b7 ,clerical amendment    
,the analysis for chapter #bja of title 
#di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
by adding at the end the following3     
#bjagb4 ,protecting visual track        
inspections and incorporating automated 
track inspection4  4