On Friday’s “PBS News Hour,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that since the East Palestine derailment, the Department of Transportation has “taken a significant number of steps regarding rail safety policy” and is “working with agencies that are already prepared.” We are doing everything we can.” Yet accidents are on the rise because Congress needs to act.
“For our department, this process is primarily about making sure something like this never happens again, which is why we have taken so many steps on rail safety policy and asked Congress to do so,” Buttigieg said. “We are putting pressure on them to further strengthen their powers.” That’s what it is. ”
Co-host Jeff Bennett then asked, “Since that derailment, rail accidents actually increased last year, despite intense scrutiny from regulators. Why? What’s the reason?”
Buttigieg responded: “I think this shows why we need bipartisan rail safety legislation in Congress. Don’t get me wrong, we need focused inspections, crews on trains that transport these types of hazardous materials. We are doing everything we can to work with existing authorities, including recently finalized new rules requiring the wearing of emergency escape breathing apparatus to protect people, audits, safety recommendations, and other measures. The simple reality is we need a stronger hand, and Congress can and should give it to us with the bipartisan Rail Safety Act.”
He continued, “To name just a few examples, one of the things that this bill would do is ensure that my department would not be able to impose fines on railroads in excess of the low six figures for even serious violations.” “Remove the statutory cap that prohibits it.” It leads to fatalities, but clearly that’s not enough to change the behavior of a multibillion-dollar company. It would also accelerate the introduction of safer equipment and standards, which we would either take too long to do on our own or simply lack the authority to do. Now, he made a fuss about this a year ago, and now, a year later, intense lobbying by the railroad industry against it has made it very difficult for many members of Congress to go on record about its pros and cons. I think it’s becoming difficult. At the time, they were either for or against this railroad safety law, even though both Republicans and Democrats were co-sponsors. ”
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