# Senators Introduce FRA Inspector Pay Bill

Senators Gary Peters and Jim Justice introduced bipartisan legislation to increase pay for Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) inspectors and specialists, whose pay levels reportedly have not increased since 1979. The proposal aims to improve recruitment and retention and support rail-safety oversight. It is a workforce-policy measure, not a contract solicitation, and the signal specifies no contract value or funding mechanism.

- Rail-safety contractors and organizations supporting FRA programs may want to account for the proposal’s potential workforce-capacity effects in staffing assumptions; the bill has not been described as enacted.
- Procurement teams should distinguish this legislative proposal from a current procurement opportunity: no solicitation, award, or new contractor requirement is identified.
- Because the measure has been introduced, stakeholders whose FRA work depends on inspector and specialist capacity can follow its legislative progress and assess any resulting impacts on program support needs.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Transportation
**Topics:** Policy
**Published:** September 30, 2026

### Government Entities
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- U.S. Senate

### Key Quotes
> Fair pay is vital to attracting experienced talent and keeping qualified inspectors and specialists in federal service, rather than losing them to higher-paying opportunities elsewhere.
> — Scott Hoose, President of AFGE Local 2814

### Sources
- [Peters Introduces Bipartisan Legislation... | Senator Gary Peters](https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/peters-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-strengthen-railroad-inspector-workforce-and-improve-railway-safety) - Peters Senate