Sen. JD Vance Urges GOP to Support Railway Safety Bill: ‘Be the Party of the Working People’

Sen. J.D. Senator J.D. Railway Safety Act Following the February 3rd derailment in East Palestine by a Norfolk Southern Railways train and subsequent chemical leakage.

A Thursday hearing Vance, of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works acknowledged some resistance from members of his party to the bipartisan bill.

He stated that most Republicans, including himself, had approached legislation in a similar way to his. “good faith,” Senator Callout Nameless Others Who He said were against the idea of creating additional regulations for the rail industry.

“This is an industry that just three months ago had the federal government come in and save them from a labor dispute—it was effectively a bailout—and now they’re claiming before the Senate and the House that our reasonable regulation, our reasonable legislation is somehow a violation of the free market?” He said. “Well, pot, meet the kettle, because that doesn’t make an ounce of sense. You cannot claim special government privileges, you cannot ask the government to bail you out, and then resist basic public safety.”

Railway Safety Act (RSA) would introduce new safety measures in trains that transport hazardous materials. It also requires rail companies to notify emergency officials of the trains’ movements through their states.

This bill will also mandate two-person crews for every train. It would establish stricter inspection protocols and regulations about train size and weight. Furthermore, it would require enhanced monitoring of wheel bearings due to the fact that an overheated wheel bearing was responsible for the East Palestine derailment.

Vance, along with senators. Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey (D–Ohio), John Fetterman and Marco Rubio (R–Fla.), were co-sponsors. As co-sponsors. The measure received numerous endorsements since then. backing Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.), Senate Majority Lead President Joe Biden.

Vance pointed out that in his Thursday comments, Vance referred to the GOP’s recent claims of being the “party of the working people” And challenged other Republicans to back his bill.

“We are faced with a choice with this legislation and how we respond to this crisis,” He said. “Do we do the bidding of a massive industry that is in bed with big government, or do we do the bidding of the people who elected us to the Senate and to the Congress in the first place?

“Although I think we should be the party for working people, it’s now that time has come. Be The party of workers. There is a choice. Are you for big business or big government? Or are you for the people in East Palestine? This is a moment for us to make a choice. Let’s find the perfect one.”