More than Two Years Post-Derailment, Bipartisan Roundtable with PA & OH Leaders, Rail Workers Keeps Fight for a Safer Rail System Alive
CARNEGIE, PA – On Saturday July 19, Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) joined a rail safety roundtable with Congressman Mike Rulli (R-OH-06), union rail workers, and stakeholders from Beaver County, PA and Eastern Ohio. The discussion focused on pending rail safety legislation, worker safety issues like inspections, and the Trump Administration’s approach to rail safety. Held in Columbiana, OH around 10 miles from the derailment site in East Palestine, the even brought together not only the two U.S. House members who represent the districts impacted by the derailment, but also the workers who keep the trains running.
“Nearly two and half years after the Norfolk Southern train derailment, guys like me and Rep. Rulli are not giving up on the fight to make rail safer,” said Congressman Deluzio. “I refuse to let my community and workers be treated like collateral damage in the way of railroad profits. Our roundtable discussion with union rail workers, union representatives, and community leaders was productive; rest assured we have the fire in our bellies to see this fight through.”
“I appreciate Congressman Deluzio’s continued advocacy on rail safety and his willingness to come speak with stakeholders in my district this past weekend. The devastation following the derailment in East Palestine still haunts our communities. We must make sure disasters like this never happen again,” Congressman Rulli emphasized. “I’m grateful to everyone who joined us for this roundtable, especially the workers and union representatives on the front lines who understand how these issues arise. We will get the Railway Safety Act of 2025 passed.”
Attendees at the event included Tony Caldwell (National President of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division - BMWED) and other representatives and workers from BMWED; Mike Carreon (Chairman of the Darlington Township Board of Supervisors); the Teamsters Rail Conference; the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation-Transportation Division (SMART-TD); the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET); the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS); the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC).
BMWED President Tony Cardwell directly raised concerns about a dangerous waiver request submitted by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The waiver would reduce federally required visual track inspections from twice a week to just twice a month and allow railroads up to 72 hours to repair known defects—versus the current requirement that human track inspectors start remediating a known defect immediately.
Congressman Deluzio reintroduced the Railway Safety Act of 2025 in the 119th Congress after first introducing it in March 2023 following the East Palestine derailment. It has growing bipartisan support including co-sponsorship from Congressman Mike Rulli (R-OH-06). The bill has support from many rail unions and elected officials on both sides of the aisle, including President Trump, Vice President Vance, and former President Joe Biden. Congressman Deluzio is also an original co-sponsor on the bipartisan Railroad Safety Enhancement Act, a bill also supported by Rep. Rulli.
Congressman Deluzio recently questioned President Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing and secured confirmation that Secretary Duffy also supports the Railway Safety Act of 2025. A video from the hearing is available here.
Photos from the roundtable are available to the press here.
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