Congress targets unsafe freight brokers with safety penalties and new oversight
H.R. 6884 — Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act · Filed by John Moolenaar (R-MI) · Introduced Dec 18, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill imposes a 10% penalty on freight brokers who contract with transportation companies or drivers that have accumulated 3+ Department of Transportation violations in the prior 5 years. It also grants the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration authority to investigate freight brokers after fatal crashes involving their contracted carriers and impose additional safety requirements if egregious disregard for safety is found. Penalties collected are deposited into the Highway Trust Fund for roadway safety projects.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is regulatory: it establishes safety-based penalties and investigative authority for freight brokers. While named after individuals, the functional purpose is public safety, not commemoration.
What the text implies
- The 10% penalty on entire contract value may disproportionately burden smaller brokers with limited vetting resources, potentially consolidating market share toward larger firms with compliance infrastructure.
- FMCSA's discretionary authority to impose 'additional operating requirements' after investigations lacks defined standards, creating regulatory uncertainty and potential for inconsistent enforcement.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
large freight brokers with compliance infrastructure; highway construction and infrastructure contractors; safety technology vendors serving freight industry