[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 19 (Thursday, February 1, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ONE YEAR SINCE DERAILMENT

  (Mr. DELUZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
one minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DELUZIO. Mr. Speaker, 1 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. Frankly, we are lucky that no one died.
  Since then, what has 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.
  Those railroad profits have not been shabby. From 2018 to last year, 
Norfolk Southern enriched their shareholders with $18 billion.
  My bill, the Railway Safety Act, is supported by the Biden 
administration and former President Trump and will make rail safer. 
This shouldn't be partisan. Along with my Democratic colleagues, I am 
joined by nine Republican cosponsors, and, yet, nothing has changed.
  The railroads are running the show here like it is the 19th century. 
It is time for politicians to stop carrying their water, to stop 
treating my constituents and our neighbors like fodder.
  We need action. It is time to pass the Railway Safety Act.

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