[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 28, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    EAST PALESTINE TRAIN DERAILMENT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on to East Palestine. Yesterday, I 
called on Norfolk Southern's CEO Alan Shaw to come before the Senate 
and answer questions under oath about the derailment in East Palestine.
  The accident has been deemed 100 percent preventable. So Mr. Shaw 
should be transparent, forthright, and he should not duck but, instead, 
testify before America, before the Senate, as soon as possible.
  Norfolk Southern owes the American people some answers to some very 
important questions.
  Why, for example, did Norfolk Southern spend years pushing the 
Federal Government, and particularly the Trump administration, to 
repeal--repeal--safety regulations intended to prevent accidents 
similar to the one in East Palestine?
  Why has Norfolk Southern laid off thousands of workers while 
reporting over $3 billion in profits in 2022?
  And why did Norfolk Southern launch a $10 billion stock buyback 
program last year, when they could have used that money to upgrade 
safety equipment, hire more workers, or pay their employees better 
wages?
  Disasters like the one in East Palestine are precisely what can 
happen when safety takes a backseat to maximizing profits. It is a 
pattern that has played out to devastating effect over the years: 
Corporate interests lobby the government to loosen safety rules, then 
they cut costs, cut workers, reward shareholders; and sooner or later, 
disaster strikes.
  And it is so typical--so typical--for people like Donald Trump to do 
the bidding of special interests, cause harm to the American people--
that is what he did when he loosened railroad regulations--and then 
point the finger at someone else when something terrible happens. That 
is just what he did here. It just doesn't wash. The American people see 
right through it.
  So, once again, I hope the CEO of Norfolk Southern testifies as soon 
as possible. Norfolk Southern has broken their trust to the American 
public and must--must--be held accountable.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICE. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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