WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, D-OH, hosted a news conference call to discuss his Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act he recently introduced with U.S. Senators Bob Casey, D-PA,, and John Fetterman, D-PA, which would support first responders on the front lines of hazardous train derailments, like the one that happened in East Palestine in February.

“When big rail corporations like Norfolk Southern wreak havoc on communities like East Palestine, local first responders are left to clean up their mess,” said Brown. “It’s critical that when first responders mobilize in a situation like this, they have the support and training they need to protect their communities – and that rail companies, not taxpayers, pay for it. Ohio communities should not have to foot the bill for corporate negligence and greed.”

Brown was joined on the call by Jacob King, president of the Clark County Fire Chiefs Association who spoke about the challenges that first responders face when they have to mobilize in response to hazardous train derailments.

“This bill will provide the necessary funding to support our local responders and their communities,” said King. “Railroad incidents have the ability to create a widespread, large scale event that no jurisdiction is prepared to handle effectively and efficiently if they are to rely on its own funds to handle.”

This morning Brown testified on behalf of the East Palestine community at the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on the need to improve rail safety. This hearing focused on Norfolk Southern’s safety record and how the February 3, 2023, derailment and the controlled burn of vinyl chloride impacted the East Palestine community.

Earlier this month, Brown testified at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing prior to the Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw’s testimony. Brown called for Norfolk Southern to pay for the massive response required to make things right with the East Palestine community.

Brown is working with members of both parties to secure resources for Ohioans and to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for cleaning up the damage its corporate greed caused the community, due to the train derailment in East Palestine. Brown has been to East Palestine multiple times to meet with Ohioans and respond to their needs.

Brown led a bipartisan group of colleagues, including Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, R-OH, to introduce his Railway Safety Act of 2023 that will improve rail safety protocols, finally standing up to railroad company lobbyists so no other community has to deal with what East Palestine and others in Ohio, including residents of Springfield, Sandusky and Steubenville, have dealt with. Ohio news outlets have praised Brown’s bipartisan plan as “wise,” “commonsense” reforms that “could help keep people across the country safer.” The legislation comes after Brown worked with Vance and others to raise concerns to the NTSB about lax rail safety rules that allowed the crash to happen.