WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Saturday will mark one year since a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Now, lawmakers say their goal is to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown says it’s time to hold Norfolk Southern accountable.
“First you shine the light on their practices and behavior. You call them out,” Brown said.
Brown says last year’s train crash in East Palestine was preventable and says the rail company put profits over safety.
“The railroads follow this Wall Street business model. Lay off workers, see their stock price go up. Executives cash in with dividends and with stock buybacks.”
Norfolk Southern says it is committed to helping the community of East Palestine recover and since the crash the company says it has put over one hundred million dollars toward those efforts.
Brown says the best way to honor the people of East Palestine is to pass his rail safety legislation.
The bill sets a minimum crew size of two, and it requires railroads to increase safety monitoring, along the track especially in cities.