---
kind: "section"
citation: "45 U.S.C. § 797j"
title: "45"
title_heading: "Railroads"
number: "797j"
heading: "Preemption"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/45/797j"
units:
  - "Chapter 16 — Regional Rail Reorganization"
  - "Subchapter VII — Protection of Employees"
---

# §797j. Preemption


No [State](/usc/45/702.md?p=19) may adopt or continue in force any law, rule, regulation, order, or standard requiring the [Corporation](/usc/45/702.md?p=5) to employ any specified number of persons to perform any particular task, function, or operation, or requiring the [Corporation](/usc/45/702.md?p=5) to pay protective benefits to employees, and no [State](/usc/45/702.md?p=19) in the [Region](/usc/45/702.md?p=17) may adopt or continue in force any such law, rule, regulation, order, or standard with respect to any [railroad](/usc/45/702.md?p=15) in the [Region](/usc/45/702.md?p=17).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 93–236, title VII, § 711, as added Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, § 1143(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 667; amended Pub. L. 103–272, § 7(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1379.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–272 struck out “, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or the Amtrak Commuter Services Corporation” before “to employ any”.