July 26, 2026 to August 01, 2026

This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning the trucking, rail, and shipping industries, ports, storage centers, cargo and container terminals, international and inter-provincial logistics, fulfillment centres, courier and delivery services. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track the upstream and downstream forces affecting Freight & Transport? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Oil & Gas and Defence. Also consider subscribing to our Freight & Transport - Ottawa edition covering critical GR news north of the border.

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Federal Government News

FCC Adopts Second Report and Order on Submarine Cable Landing License Rules

The Federal Communications Commission published a Second Report and Order establishing a new regulatory regime for licensing owners and operators of submarine line terminal equipment (SLTE) connected to U.S. submarine cables. The rule introduces a blanket license to qualified entities and sets out routine and national security-related conditions, including cybersecurity and physical security risk management plans, annual capacity reporting, and exclusion of entities with foreign adversary ties from automatic licensing. The order creates an expedited review process for cable applications meeting ten national security standards, reducing executive branch referrals. New prohibitions target use of principal equipment or third-party services provided by foreign adversary-controlled or sanctioned companies, with narrow exemptions for wet-segment repair. First-year compliance costs are estimated at $39.2 million. The rule will become effective September 25, 2026, with several provisions delayed pending OMB review.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NRC Proposes Modernization of Package Certification Requirements for Radioactive Materials

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission released a proposed rule on July 27 to amend regulations for packaging and transporting radioactive material under 10 CFR Part 71. Key features include voluntary risk-informed methodologies for demonstrating package safety and an increased optional radiation limit (from 0.1 mSv/h to 0.5 mSv/h at 2 meters) for certain packages, notably microreactors, in exclusive use shipments. The proposal aims to reduce regulatory burden and streamline certification processes. The rule notes the alignment with several recent executive orders supporting regulatory reform and U.S. energy policy. Comments are due by August 26, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

White House Delegates Defense Production Act Authority Over Critical Minerals

President Trump issued a memorandum empowering the Secretary of Commerce to impose export restrictions on recoverable critical minerals and materials (CMMs), including waste, scrap, and components such as permanent magnets and lithium-ion batteries. The determination cites U.S. reliance on imported critical minerals as a national defense and supply chain risk. The directive covers commodities not previously addressed, excluding copper scrap, and applies to CMMs vital for defense and high-performance military systems. The Secretary is instructed to promulgate regulations as necessary under the Defense Production Act.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov

FRA Proposes Updates to Certification Requirements for Locomotive Engineers and Conductors

The Federal Railroad Administration released proposed amendments to training and certification standards for locomotive engineers and conductors. The rule would require English language proficiency for certification, testing, and operational communications. Skill assessments and operational monitoring must be performed without use of certain Energy Management Systems, except where integrated with safety-critical systems. The proposal addresses international crew operations, limiting Mexican-based crews to 10 U.S. route-miles unless they are independently certified and ELP-compliant or accompanied by a bilingual pilot. Canadian-based crews are exempt from the mile-limit based on Transport Canada's oversight. The rule supports safety objectives and estimates $51,837 in ELP training costs for Mexican-based crews over a decade.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FAA Publishes Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Commercial Drone Delivery

The Federal Aviation Administration announced the completion of its Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for commercial drone package delivery operations under 14 CFR part 135. The review, conducted pursuant to NEPA, determined that with specified mitigation measures, drone delivery activity would not cause significant environmental impacts. The assessment is available for review on the FAA’s website.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Legislative Updates

Railroad Retirement Board Stability Act of 2026

Bill 4965, the Railroad Retirement Board Stability Act of 2026, was ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The legislation addresses retirement and benefits administration for railroad employees.

Sources: www.congress.gov

To prohibit discrimination against firearms shippers or transporters by common carriers

Bill 9979 was introduced to prohibit discrimination against firearms shippers or transporters by common and contract carriers. The proposal was referred to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Judiciary for further consideration.

Sources: www.congress.gov

A bill to assist trafficking survivors lacking ID access air travel

Bill 5192 seeks to assist trafficking survivors who lack government-issued identification in accessing air travel. It was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Guaranteed Disaster Assistance Act

Bill 10002, titled the Guaranteed Disaster Assistance Act, was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill addresses federal disaster recovery aid.

Sources: www.congress.gov

A bill to require a study on chameleon carriers and an FMCSA automation tool

Bill 5150 mandates the Comptroller General to study chameleon carriers and requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to develop automation to detect fraudulent carrier registrations. The bill has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Trump’s Fixation on Arctic Ships Led to Billions in No-Bid Contracts: The administration’s push on Arctic shipping has resulted in substantial sole-source government contracts for icebreakers and cargo vessels.
• Air taxi developers pivot to military market amid civil certification delays: Leading air taxi firms are increasingly seeking Pentagon contracts while waiting for commercial flight approvals.
• Why Higher Tariffs Are Becoming the New Normal for Business: Businesses are adjusting to persistently elevated U.S. and global tariffs in supply chains and cross-border transport.
• How Diamonds, Paprika and Fertilizer Won Relief From Trump’s Tariffs: Several commodity importers obtained key exemptions from the latest Section 301 tariffs after trade group advocacy.
• Airports, nursing homes and schools brace for disruption without Haitian workers: Labor disruptions are expected in transit, health, and public services as thousands of Haitian workers lose employment authorization.
• Managing Geoeconomic and Geopolitical Risks: Transportation and logistics operators are adapting compliance and route planning to changing global risk dynamics.

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