[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 7, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Rail Safety

  Mr. President, the residents of East Palestine, OH, were still 
desperate for answers about the toxic derailment of the Norfolk 
Southern train in their town a month ago when a second Norfolk Southern 
train derailed in Springfield, OH, this past weekend. This morning, we 
learned of even another accident involving Norfolk Southern. A railroad 
employee was killed early this morning when a Norfolk Southern train 
collided with a dump truck in Cleveland, OH.
  These three rail accidents in just 1 month--one of them a 
catastrophic derailment--have sent a grave and blaring signal that we 
need to do more to protect American communities from hazardous freight 
rail shipments. The need for greater rail safety is urgent, especially 
in my State of Illinois. Chicago, IL, is the busiest rail hub in the 
United States. About a quarter of all freight rail traffic in our 
Nation passes through the Chicago area every year.
  If we ignore the warnings from East Palestine and Springfield, OH, it 
is only a matter of time until the next deadly derailment. In East 
Palestine, the government has responded quickly. Federal Agencies were 
on the ground within hours and are still there today. President Biden 
has instructed workers from Federal Agencies to even go door to door, 
checking on the residents in the area to see who may need medical 
attention as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals.
  These are the right steps to take, but we also need to do more to 
prevent train derailments and accidents in the first place so that more 
communities don't find themselves facing the same dangers and 
uncertainty as East Palestine.

  Freight rail traffic has increased in recent decades, and it 
continues to grow. At the same time, freight companies have moved to 
larger and longer trains to increase profits. But Federal regulations 
have not kept pace with the changing rail industry. That is the 
problem.
  Listen to these figures, which tell the story. In 2001, the profit 
margin of the leading freight carriers was 15 percent. Today, the 
profit margin of those same rail carriers is 41 percent--from 15 to 41 
percent. While derailments are down overall since the 1970s, the number 
of train accidents per mile has actually increased. In addition, over 
the last 7 years, the damage from derailments has grown, particularly 
from trains carrying hazardous chemicals.
  Instead of investing adequately in safety and their workers, freight 
rail companies have cut staff dramatically and fought to dismantle 
safety regulations. Those efforts paid off under the previous 
President, when rail industry regulators dramatically loosened a number 
of safety rules. The result is greater danger, more congestion, and 
blocked rail crossings in communities across America.
  The disaster in East Palestine appears finally to have produced a 
bipartisan consensus that change is needed--and it is. My colleagues 
from Ohio, Senators Brown and Vance, have introduced a bipartisan bill 
that will make several important, commonsense changes and force freight 
railroads to improve the safety of their operations. I support these 
efforts and hope the Senate will pass the bill soon.
  While the exact causes of the recent Ohio derailments have not yet 
been determined, inspectors for the national Surface Transportation 
Board found that a wheel bearing on the derailed Norfolk Southern train 
in East Palestine heated to more than 250 degrees above average--250 
degrees--causing the plastic pellets it was carrying to catch fire.
  The bipartisan bill from Senators Brown and Vance will increase how 
frequently the temperature of wheel bearings must be checked. It also 
would require additional safety procedures for trains carrying these 
deadly and dangerous materials. This includes rules for the length of 
trains and their weight, increased inspections, and a requirement that 
trains hauling hazardous materials have two trained crew members on 
board instead of just one. Finally, the Brown-Vance bill would provide 
funding for hazmat training for first responders, and it would invest 
in both rail research and the development of new tank car safety 
features. These are important safety steps that will protect rail 
workers and the communities through which these trains pass.
  This past December, Congress approved a labor agreement that gives 
rail workers the largest wage increase in 50 years, but most of the 
railroads balked at providing their workers with even 1 day of paid 
sick leave per year so that they can take care of themselves and their 
families.
  For too long, railroads have shortchanged their workers and possibly 
endangered American communities, maximizing their corporate profits. It 
is time for change.
  Working for railroads is a tradition in my family. I grew up in East 
St. Louis, IL. Both of my parents worked for the New York Central 
Railroad. My two brothers and I also worked for the same railroad. I 
know from personal experience that many railroad jobs are physically 
demanding and can be dangerous. Lucky for me, the only scar I have from 
working on the railroad is a minor one, but others have been injured in 
more grievous ways.
  We can't take all the risks out of rail transport, but we must reduce 
unnecessary risk. The bipartisan Brown-Vance bill strikes the right 
balance. We should pass it without delay.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Padilla). The Republican whip.