One Year Post-Derailment, Deluzio Pushes Congress to “Stop Doing Nothing” and Make Rail Safer
Deluzio wrote a letter to Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and gave a speech on the Floor of the House calling for action on the Railway Safety Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of Saturday marking one year since the devastating train derailment in East Palestine, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) penned a letter and took to the floor of the House to demand action on his bill, the Railway Safety Act. The toxic train derailment occurred less than one mile outside the congressional district he represents in Western Pennsylvania. Today, Congressman Deluzio sent a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson calling for him to bring this bill to the floor for an immediate vote. The day prior, he took to the floor of the House and gave a speech laying out the urgent need for strong rail safety reforms and the impact of the derailment on his constituents and Ohio neighbors.
Congressman Deluzio introduced the House version of the Railway Safety Act in March 2023 alongside Republican Congressman Nick LaLota (NY-01). It is the House companion bill to the bipartisan Senate rail safety measure led by Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance and Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman. The bill would institute requirements for wayside defect detectors, increase fines for wrongdoing committed by rail carriers, enhance safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, create new requirements to prevent blocked railroad crossings, establish a permanent requirement for railroads to operate with at least two-person crews, and more.
In his letter to Speaker Johnson, Congressman Deluzio writes, “To truly mark one year since the devastating derailment in East Palestine in a meaningful way, I urge you to swiftly bring this bill to the floor and support its passage. The people of East Palestine and its surrounding communities in Western Pennsylvania have waited long enough and they deserve better. They deserve safer towns for their children and neighbors. They deserve a Congress that acts after tragedy and doesn’t carry water for the rail industry. They deserve the passage of the Railway Safety Act.”
The text of Congressman Deluzio’s speech from Thursday morning is below:
“One year ago this weekend, my constituents in Beaver County and our East Palestine neighbors lived through Norfolk Southern’s disastrous train derailment.
“They caused a massive toxic fireball. We’re frankly lucky no one died.
“Since then, what has this Congress done to protect our communities? To make freight rail safer? Absolutely nothing.
“Folks in Western Pennsylvania are sick and tired of being treated like collateral damage in the way of corporate profits.
“And those railroad profits haven't been shabby. From 2018 to last year, Norfolk Southern bought back $18 billion in stocks to enrich their shareholders.
“My bill, the Railway Safety Act, is supported by the Biden Administration and former President Trump and it’ll help make rail safer.
"This shouldn’t be partisan. Along with Democratic colleagues, I’m joined by 9 Republican co-sponsors.
“And yet, nothing has changed. The railroads are running the show here like it’s the 19th century.
“It’s time for politicians to stop carrying water for powerful railroads, to stop treating my constituents and our neighbors like fodder.
“We need action, Mr. Speaker—it’s time to pass the Railway Safety Act.”
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