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Deluzio, LaLota Introduce Bipartisan Rail Safety Package to Comprehensively Respond to February Derailment

March 21, 2023

Legislation is the House companion bill to the bipartisan Senate rail safety package, indicates bipartisan support for stronger rail safety and accountability 

CARNEGIE, PA – Today, Congressmen Chris Deluzio (PA-17) and Nick LaLota (NY-1) introduced the House version of The Railway Safety Act of 2023, bipartisan rail safety legislation to comprehensively respond to the February 3rd Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment occurred under a mile over the state line from Congressman Deluzio’s Western Pennsylvania district, evacuating and impacting his constituents in Beaver County, PA.

 

This legislation is the House companion bill to the bipartisan  Senate rail safety measure, and would institute requirements for wayside defect detectors, increase fines for wrongdoing committed by rail carriers, enhance safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, establish a permanent requirement for railroads to operate with at least two-person crews, and more.

 

"For the sake of my Beaver County constituents who have had their lives upended by Norfolk Southern’s derailment, we need Congress to confront the rail industry and come together across party lines to protect Americans and make our rail system safer,” said Rep. Deluzio. “For far too long, the railroads have put their profits ahead of safety and communities like Western Pennsylvania. I am proud to join with my Republican colleague and fellow Navy veteran, Rep. Nick LaLota, to introduce this comprehensive package of commonsense safety measures that will make freight rail safer and stiffen penalties for rail companies when they break the rules and put people in danger. I will keep fighting for every one of my constituents who Norfolk Southern has hurt through their greed and incompetence.”

 

“What happened in East Palestine is nothing short of a tragedy, an environmental disaster, and it needs a bipartisan solution. We need to assure Americans that their Congress is actively working to ensure that this doesn’t happen anywhere else, whether it be Long Island or Western Pennsylvania,” said Rep. LaLota. “Improving rail safety regulations to protect communities and rail workers will help prevent future disasters, like what happened in East Palestine, and ensure the safety of New Yorkers and anyone living close to railways. I am thankful for the Senate’s leadership on this issue and for Congressman Deluzio’s partnership to deliver real results to keep Americans safe.”

 

Since the derailment, Congressman Deluzio has been on the ground in Beaver County and East Palestine fighting for the people affected by the derailment, speaking with impacted constituents, pushing for accountabilityfrom Norfolk Southern,seeking answers to constituent questions, and fighting for resourcesto help the community recover. Rep. Deluzio also introduced the DERAIL Act, which would widen the definition of a High-Hazard Flammable Train.

 

More specifically, The Railway Safety Act of 2023 would:

Enhance safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials by: 

  • Granting the Department of Transportation the authority to institute and modify new safety requirements and procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials like vinyl chloride. 
  • Requiring rail carriers to provide advance notification and information to state emergency response officials about the content and materials that they transport. 
  • Creating new requirements to prevent blocked railroad crossings. 
  • Mitigating derailment risk with rules for train size and weight. 
    • Increases rail car inspections to ensuring that all rail cars on train carrying hazardous materials are inspected by a qualified rail car inspector at regular intervals. 

Reduce the risk of wheel bearing failures by: 

  • Establishing requirements for wayside defect detectors. 
  • Requiring trains carrying hazardous materials to be scanned by hotbox detectors every 10 miles. 
  • Strengthening inspection requirements for rail cars of trains carrying hazardous materials. 
    • Require well-trained two-person crews aboard every train.

Force rail carriers to face heightened fines for wrongdoing by: 

  • Substantially increasing the maximum fine USDOT can issue for safety violations. 

Support communities impacted by rail disasters by: 

  • Expanding HAZMAT training grants for local law enforcement and first responders through increased registration fees paid by Class I railroads. 

Invest in future safety improvements by: 

  • Providing $22,000,000 to the Federal Railroad Administration for research and development grants regarding wayside defect detectors and other rail priorities. 
  • Providing $5,000,000 to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration for expenses related to developing stronger tank car safety features. 

 

The Railway Safety Act of 2023 has been endorsed by the Transport Workers Union (TWU), The American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA), The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ Transportation Division (SMART-TD).

 

The bill text as introduced is available here. A one pager is available here

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