WASHINGTON – Today, on the third anniversary of the toxic Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, members of Congress, community leaders, and labor leaders gathered at a bipartisan press conference on Capitol Hill to advocate for passage of the Railway Safety Act and commonsense rail safety reform. Photos are available here and video is available here.
The press conference included remarks from co-leads of the Railway Safety Act: Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Mike Rulli (R-OH-6), and John Garamendi (D-CA-3); Railway Safety Act co-sponsor, Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY-17); and House Rail Subcommittee Ranking Member Dina Titus (D-NV-1), who all voiced bipartisan support for rail safety reform. Community leaders from Pennsylvania, Mayor Michael A. Lombardo of Pittston and Mayor Matt Pacifico from Altoona, emphasized the importance of protecting communities from hazardous derailments. Organized labor leaders, including Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS) President Mike Baldwin, International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) President Ed Kelly, and Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) President Greg Regan, spoke on behalf of the rail workers and fire fighters who act as first responders during derailments.
Since East Palestine, communities across the country have endured more than 200 collisions and more than 3,100 derailments, including several incidents involving hazardous materials.
The Railway Safety Act includes measures that will keep workers and communities safe, including but not limited to:
- Requiring two crewmembers to operate a train to avert a situation where only one person is present to respond to an emergency
- Increasing the types of hazardous materials subject to enhanced safety protections, such as vinyl chloride, which was involved in the Norfolk Southern derailment
- Requiring railroads to use defect detectors to help prevent derailments
- Barring railroads from setting unsafe time limits on railcar, locomotive, and brake inspections
- Holding railroads accountable for safety violations through increased fines
“Three years is a long time. Some people, especially in DC, seem to have forgotten about the 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment: but I haven’t, and I won’t. The big railroads do not want anything—even our safety—to get in the way of their unending lust for profit at any cost. People in my community and our neighbors in Ohio demand action. We have to make rail safer, and that means standing strong against the corporate power that’s working against the rest of us who live or work around the tracks. Enough already: let’s pass my bipartisan, commonsense Railway Safety Act,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio.
“I’m deeply encouraged to see bipartisan support from across the country for stronger rail safety. The fight to make East Palestine whole is far from over, but I am proud of the legislation we’ve introduced this Congress to protect families, advance long-term health research, and hold those responsible accountable so victims finally receive the answers and justice they deserve. Now Congress must act and pass these bills into law so no other community is ever forced to endure the same suffering,” said Congressman Mike Rulli.
“On the third anniversary of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, we commit to enacting meaningful reforms to prevent another tragedy of this scale. Over 250 million tons of hazardous materials are shipped by rail each year, including straight through my District in Southern Nevada. I will not agree to a surface transportation bill unless it includes a strong rail safety title,” said Ranking Member Dina Titus.
“As America’s largest transportation labor federation, representing the totality of rail labor and a voice for hundreds of thousands of skilled rail workers, we have sounded the alarm about rail safety for years and advocated for stronger federal safety measures. We appreciate our local, state and federal partners for their efforts to make this industry safer for rail workers and communities everywhere. The time for action is now,” said TTD President Greg Regan.
“Safety regulations are not obstacles to progress. They are the guardrails that keep people alive. Technology should not replace people; technology should exist as an overlay to ADD to safety on the rails. Regulations and technology are the difference between a job done right and a disaster waiting to happen,” said BRS President Mike Baldwin.
“Rail is a critical part of the economic transportation network, and we should all work together to address safety recommendations. Significant safety mechanisms and regulations for rail should stay current and should be reflected in Congress’ agenda,” said Mayor Michael A. Lombardo of Pittston, PA.
“As elected officials, all we’re asking is for the railroads to be good neighbors in our cities all across the country by communicating and working with us. We also ask Congress to ensure that federal rail decisions made in Washington take into account what we experience at home,” said Mayor Matt Pacifico of Altoona, PA.
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