Biden backs bipartisan railway safety bill in aftermath of East Palestine derailment

by Brett Samuels - 03/02/23 6:18 PM ET

President Biden and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) — Annabelle Gordon
President Biden speaks to reporters alongside Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) following a Senate Democratic Caucus luncheon at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

President Biden on Thursday threw his support behind a bipartisan bill that would tighten federal oversight of trains carrying hazardous materials in the aftermath of a derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that spilled toxic chemicals.

“I applaud the bipartisan group of senators for proposing rail safety legislation that provides many of the solutions that my administration has been calling for,” Biden said in a statement.

“This legislation provides us with tools to hold companies accountable to prevent terrible tragedies like the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine and to make those communities whole.”

The Railway Safety Act of 2023 was cosponsored by Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown (D) and J.D. Vance (R) and Pennsylvania Sens. John Fetterman (D) and Bob Casey (D). Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also cosponsored the measure.

It’s still unclear if the bill would have enough support to overcome the 60 vote filibuster in the Senate, or if Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) would bring it up for a vote in the House.

The bill would introduce new safety requirements for trains carrying hazardous materials, such as the vinyl chloride carried by the derailed Norfolk Southern train. Going forward, trains would be required to submit a “gas discharge” plan for all such materials. Citing fear of an explosion, first responders in East Palestine conducted a controlled burn of the materials shortly after locals were evacuated.

The measure would also transfer oversight of railroads’ heat sensors from railways to the federal government, and it would add a requirement of at least a two-person crew per train, something unions have pushed for.

“I encourage Republicans and Democrats alike to move quickly to advance these commonsense rail safety measures and send me a bill to sign into law,” Biden said.

The president, who met with Senate Democrats earlier on Thursday, was asked after the meeting about any plans to visit East Palestine. He said he would “at some point,” and in the meantime argued the solutions to preventing future incidents would require bipartisan cooperation.