Representatives Lofgren, Tran Lead California Delegation Slamming Amendment Shielding Rideshare Companies from Liability

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) and Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45) led 34 members of the California Congressional Delegation in a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries raising the alarm about a section in the surface transportation reauthorization bill, the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870)(link is external), that would give rideshare companies immunity from any injury, sexual assault, or fatality that happens during a ride.

For a full copy of the letter, click here(link is external).

"Our constituents deserve better. Drivers trying to earn a living and riders who want to get to their next destination all deserve a safe ride - and the ability to be made whole if they are injured along the way," wrote the members.

Introduced by Representative Fong (CA-20), the relevant section(link is external) of the BUILD America 250 Act would ensure that rideshare companies "shall not be liable under the law of any State or political subdivision thereof [...] for any harm to persons or property that results or arises out of the use, operation, or possession of a motor vehicle by an app-based driver," protecting companies from legal liability even when presented with concerning information about a driver in a criminal background check, motor vehicle background check, customer complaint, safety test, or internal complaint. This would allow individuals who do not meet criminal or safety standards to continue operating as drivers. In the event of an incident, the company would not be held accountable, no matter its obligations to adequately screen drivers. H.R. 8870 was reported out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 22, 2026, with this language included, and awaits a floor vote by the full House.

Representatives Lofgren and Tran were joined by 32 members: Representative Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Representative Mike Thompson (CA-04), Representative Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Representative Jim Costa (CA-21), Representative Doris Matsui (CA-07), Representative Judy Chu (CA-28), Representative John Garamendi (CA-08), Representative Ami Bera (CA-06), Representative Julia Brownley (CA-26), Representative Jared Huffman (CA-2), Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02), Representative Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Representative Mark Takano (CA-39), Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52), Representative Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Representative Norma Torres (CA-35), Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Representative Lou Correa (CA-46), Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17), Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Representative Mike Levin (CA-49), Representative Sara Jacobs(CA-51), Representative Robert Garcia (CA-42), Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Representative Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Representative Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Representative Laura Friedman (CA-30), Representative Sam Liccardo (CA-16),Representative Dave Min (CA-47), Representative Luz Rivas (CA-29), Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Representative George Whitesides (CA-27).

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries,

We write to urge you to strip out a provision in Title I of the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870), that would endanger consumers across the United States. The provision, which faced bipartisan opposition in markup, would shield rideshare companies from liability for crashes and sexual assaults caused by their negligence. This provision must be removed from the BUILD America 250 Act before it is considered on the House Floor.

The rapid expansion of the rideshare industry has introduced significant safety vulnerabilities, often putting consumers at the risk of physical harm. Uber alone faces more than 3,000 sexual assault claims in Federal Court nationwide for allegedly failing to implement adequate safety protections, driver screenings, or rider safeguards. In California, Uber is facing roughly 550 cases for allegedly failing to protect female drivers from sexual assault, stalking, kidnapping, or false imprisonment.

Victims may soon face a heavily restricted path to legal recourse. Uber is currently funding a California ballot initiative designed to cap damages for medical care and restrict a consumer's ability to retain legal counsel following an accident. This initiative would functionally protect all negligent drivers and defective car manufacturers. Common product liability suits involving airbag defects, braking failure, steering issues, battery failure, or electronic control system and software defects would be judicially handicapped.

The BUILD America 250 Act, as amended, would further hinder victims' ability to seek recourse. Currently, rideshare companies face legal accountability if their negligence causes harm-such as allowing a driver onto the platform despite a known dangerous criminal history. If that driver later assaults a passenger or causes a crash, the company can be held liable for failing to protect the public.

H.R. 8870 threatens to dismantle these vital safety incentives. The bill as currently written would provide rideshare companies with immunity from any injury, sexual assault, and fatality case no matter the red flags from any criminal background check, motor vehicle background check, customer complaint, safety test, or internal complaint. Moreover, it expressly preempts State law. Though a rideshare company would still have to follow local laws regarding background checks, it would be immune from liability if it chose to ignore red flags in the background check.

Our constituents deserve better. Drivers trying to earn a living and riders who want to get to their next destination all deserve a safe ride - and the ability to be made whole if they are injured along the way.

The Build America 250 Act must be amended, and this provision stripped, before it is considered on the House Floor.

Sincerely,

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