CLEVELAND, OH – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) issued the below statement following a Norfolk Southern train derailment in Springfield. This Norfolk Southern derailment makes the fourth train derailment in recent months in Ohio, including the toxic train derailment in East Palestine.

“Sandusky, Steubenville, East Palestine, and now Springfield - four Norfolk Southern derailments in less than five months because this corporation has been more concerned with its profit margin than with Ohioans’ safety. Ohio communities should not be forced to live in fear of another disaster. It’s unacceptable - it’s why we must pass my bipartisan Railway Safety Act with Senator Vance, now,” said Brown.

Following the derailment that devastated East Palestine and hearing from residents and local officials, Brown introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023 with U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) last week to prevent future train disasters. The bill will take a number of key steps to improve rail safety protocols, such as enhancing safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, establishing requirements for wayside defect detectors, creating a permanent requirement for railroads to operate with at least two-person crews, increasing fines for wrongdoing committed by rail carriers, and more.

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