FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday June 16, 2026
Media Contact: Angie Poss
angie@singlespacestrategies.com
NM Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs Condemns Federal Proposal to Shield Rideshare Companies from Accountability for Sexual Assault
Coalition joins growing national opposition to amendment that could make it harder for survivors to seek justice
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (NMCSAP) is urging Congress to reject Amendment 041 to the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870), a provision that would shield rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft from liability when sexual assault and other serious harms occur.
The amendment has drawn opposition from 285 women state legislators from 44 states and territories, including New Mexico lawmakers, as well as 128 members of Congress led by the Democratic Women’s Caucus. Opponents warn that the proposal would create significant barriers for survivors seeking accountability through the courts and could undermine state efforts to improve rideshare safety.
“No corporation should receive special protection from accountability when sexual violence occurs on a platform it controls and profits from,” said Alexandria Taylor, Executive Director of the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. “Survivors deserve meaningful access to justice. Congress should be strengthening protections for survivors, not creating new obstacles that make it harder to hold powerful companies accountable. We appreciate the NM Legislators standing with survivors and against this effort to strip corporate accountability.”
According to information cited in the national campaign opposing the amendment, a 2025 New York Times investigation found approximately 400,000 reports of sexual assault or misconduct associated with Uber trips between 2017 and 2022, roughly one report every eight minutes. The amendment would limit legal theories commonly used to hold rideshare companies responsible for harm occurring through their services. Opponents argue that it would create a significantly higher legal threshold for survivors seeking justice and could apply retroactively to some claims.
For advocates working with survivors of sexual violence, the proposal raises broader concerns about corporate accountability and public safety. NMCSAP also expressed concern that the amendment could undermine state-level efforts to strengthen safety protections and accountability measures.
“In New Mexico and across the country, policymakers and advocates have worked for years to expand survivor rights and improve responses to sexual violence,” Taylor added. “We continue to work to expand access through the Survivors Justice Act, which would expand the state’s civil statute of limitations to reflect the reality of survivors. Creating a federal liability shield moves us in the wrong direction. Accountability is one of the strongest incentives for companies to prioritize safety.”
Congress passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act with bipartisan support in 2022, affirming survivors’ right to pursue claims in court. Amendment 041 is inconsistent with those efforts and would weaken protections for survivors.
The Coalition is calling on New Mexico’s congressional delegation and congressional leadership to oppose Amendment 041 and ensure that survivors retain the ability to seek justice when preventable harm occurs.
“Survivors deserve safety. Survivors deserve accountability. Survivors deserve their day in court, if that is what they choose,” said Taylor. “Congress should reject any proposal that puts those principles at risk.”
The New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline is available for anyone to call to talk about their experience. For anyone in need of support, please call, text or chat the New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-844-667-2457 or nmsahelp.org. The Helpline is available 24/7 and is 100% confidential and free.
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The New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that serves as a comprehensive clearinghouse, providing a variety of resources to assist in preventing and responding to sexual assault. Survivors, service providers, the media, non-profit and governmental organizations and the general public find our resources current, relevant, and helpful.