S 337 · Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 341.
- Introduced
- Jan 30, 2025
- Latest action
- Feb 23, 2026
- Sponsor
- Sen. Deb Fischer [R-NE]
- Policy area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Cosponsors
- 1
Summary
Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act This bill allows the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to assess civil penalties against motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders for violations related to the interstate transportation of household goods and provides states with additional related authorities. As background, a broker is the “middle person” between a shipper and a motor carrier and arranges for the transportation of household goods. A freight forwarder organizes shipments for individuals or corporations. Unlike a broker, freight forwarders assume responsibility for transportation and may transport the freight itself. The bill expands the FMCSA registration requirements to require motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders to designate a principal place of business (i.e., a single physical location where management officials report to work, a significant portion of the transportation business is conducted, and records are maintained). FMCSA may withhold, suspend, amend, or revoke any part of a registration for failure to designate. In addition, brokers and freight forwarders must disclose any common ownership, management, control, or familial relationship with any other carrier, freight forwarder, broker, or applicant in the previous three years. Under current law, motor carriers must disclose this information. Further, states may use certain grant funds to enforce federal household goods statutes and regulations for the interstate transportation of these goods by motor carriers and brokers. This applies to Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grant funds and MCSAP High Priority discretionary grant funds. A state shall retain collected fines that are a result of enforcement.
Recent actions
- Feb 23, 2026 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 341.
- Feb 23, 2026 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-112.
- Feb 23, 2026 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-112.
- May 21, 2025 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Jan 30, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Jan 30, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Votes
No recorded votes are available for this bill.