{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-hageman-introduces-safe-act-combat-chameleon-carriers", "Congresswoman Hageman Introduces SAFE Act to Combat Chameleon Carriers", "2026-02-18", "2026", "2026-02", "Republican", "House", "WY", "Harriet M. Hageman", "H001096", "hageman.house.gov", "hageman", "https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-WY) introduced the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act to combat chameleon carriers.\n\nThese high-risk trucking companies operate by shutting down and reopening under different identities, rotating through names, ownership structures, or Department of Transportation (DOT) registration numbers, to avoid penalties, enforcement actions, insurance consequences, and public scrutiny. They often continue using the same trucks, the same managers, drivers, and addresses while pretending to be a brand-new company.\n\nThe SAFE Act establishes the mechanism to accurately detect chameleon carriers in the registration process, ensuring they are subject to enforcement for violations under the law.\n\n\u201cThese companies game the system, ignore the law, and put American families at risk, all while punishing hardworking truckers who follow the rules,\u201d said Rep. Hageman. \u201cIf a trucking company racks up violations or loses its license, it should not get to slap on a new name and get back on the road. My bill closes dangerous loopholes and holds bad actors accountable.\u201d\n\n\u201cWyoming trucking companies play by the rules, invest in safety, and carry the cost when bad actors dodge accountability. The SAFE Act is a common sense step to stop chameleon carriers from reappearing under new identities after serious safety failures or enforcement actions. By strengthening screening at registration, protecting due process through a clear appeals process, and improving data sharing, this bill helps level the playing field for responsible carriers and makes our roads safer for everyone,\u201d said Wyoming Trucking Association President and CEO Kevin Hawley.\n\n\"Chameleon carriers are a plague on our nation's highways, putting all motorists at risk and undercutting the vast majority of trucking companies that are responsible and follow the rules,\u201d said American Trucking Associations SVP of Legislative Affairs Alex Rosen. \u201cSafety is a priority for our members, which is why we are grateful for Rep. Hageman\u2019s leadership to strengthen federal safety requirements and oversight. Alongside USDOT, we have closed loopholes and removed bad actors from our roads, and we look forward to building on this progress by working with Rep. Hageman and her colleagues to attach this commonsense policy to the next Highway Bill.\u201d\n\n\u201cChameleon carriers have undermined America\u2019s highway safety and damaged the professionalism of the trucking industry by evading enforcement, dodging penalties, and reopening under new identities. Representative Hageman\u2019s SAFE Act takes decisive action to detect and crack down on these bad actors at the registration stage. OOIDA and truckers across America commend Representative Hageman\u2019s leadership in restoring accountability to the system and standing up for law-abiding small-business truckers and the safety of the motoring public,\" stated Todd Spencer, President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.\n\n\u201cThe SAFE Act takes an important step toward identifying chameleon carriers operating on our roads today. The enactment of this language will aid the enforcement community at FMCSA in stopping businesses that continually refuse to prioritize safety and act as market disruptors in the industry. By effectively targeting chameleon carriers, this legislation will reinforce the strengths of our industry, supporting those who prioritize safe operations and uphold exemplary business practices. We commend Representative Hageman for her leadership on this important issue and urge Congress to advance the SAFE Act,\u201d stated Truckload Carriers Association President Jim Ward.\n\n\"I lost three generations of family in a preventable truck crash caused by a chameleon carrier. It's not a question of if, but when, these bad faith carriers will kill more people on our roads. The SAFE Act will save lives, and I am grateful for Representative Hageman's commitment to truck safety,\" said Abby Godines, Truck Safety Coalition volunteer.\n\nBackground:\n\nOn February 3, 2026, an illegal alien truck driver crashed into a van, killing four people in Indiana. The truck involved is part of a larger network of carriers operating under multiple identities, with the network, according to recent reporting, comprising more than 2,993 inspections, 1,552 violations, 439 out-of-service orders, and 91 crashes.\n\nThe SAFE Act takes direct action by:\n\nRequiring a nationwide study on the scope and impact of chameleon carriers.\n\nSupports the Trump Administration\u2019s ongoing efforts by directing the Federal Motor Safety Administration (FMCSA) to develop and implement an advanced automation tool to flag suspicious registration applications before unsafe operators receive new DOT numbers.\n\nStrengthening coordination between federal and state agencies to identify shared ownership, recycled equipment, and other red flags.\n\nPreserving due process by requiring human review and creating a clear appeals process.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-hageman-introduces-safe-act-combat-chameleon-carriers"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4431700110435486, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}