U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said it was “frustrating” that Congress has not voted on the Railway Safety Act.
According to The Hill, Buttigieg made his remarks before President Biden’s visit to
East Palestine, Ohio, to mark the anniversary of a 2023 rail disaster.
“It’s still waiting its turn in Congress,” The Hill quoted Buttigieg saying at an event at the Meridian International Center in Washington.
Buttigieg was critical of several House representatives who “had a lot to say in the immediate aftermath “of the February 2023 derailment “but are nowhere to be found” on supporting the bill.
Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown (D) and JD Vance (R) co-sponsored the legislation shortly after the accident, which resulted in a controlled burning of vinyl chloride.
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) released a statement on Feb. 16, stating that “as railroads continue their work to prevent derailments, chemical shippers continue to make significant progress to upgrade rail tank cars to the latest design standards.”
ACC noted that the chemical industry provides resources and training to emergency responders across the country through programs such as Transacer and the Chemtrec Help Award program.