Local representatives introduce resolution to bolster railroad regulations

Three local representatives visited East Palestine today to introduce legislation to increase railroad regulations in response to criticisms from state and local leaders of current, more relaxed regulations.
 
Representatives, Monica Robb Blasdel and Lauren McNally have joint sponsored the resolution, with Robb Blasdel telling 21 News the resolution has many co-sponsors including local state representative, Al Cutrona.
 
This resolution is in response to criticisms from state local officials of the fact that current railroad regulations did not require East Palestine to be notified of the train carrying hazardous chemicals such as vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate.
 
"This is absurd, and we need to look a this," said Governor Mike DeWine in a press conference on Tuesday, February 14. "Congress needs to take a look at this."
 
"We are calling on Congress to look into taking legislative action to require railroad companies to notify the State of Ohio when they are hauling hazardous material through our state," Robb Blasdel said. "While we know that changing these regulations would not have prevented this accident from happening, we are doing all we can to ensure the safety of our constituents."
 
Blasdel explained this would help first responders immediately know what kinds of chemicals they're dealing with if a similar accident were to happen again. McNally and Cutrona agree this legislation is less about politics and more about the safety of communities.
 
Robb Blasdel went on to say she's confident this bill will pass, citing bipartisan support and that her colleagues in both the House and Senate are concerned about East Palestine and the State of Ohio as a whole.

"We're going to do everything that we can on the state level to ensure the safety of our constituents," explained Al Cutrona. "That also means looking forward to what we can do to make sure the necessary funds reach this region."
 
In terms of a timeline, McNally tells 21 News, this legislation was filed at 4:00 p.m. Friday and it's expected to get referred through Rules and References on Tuesday.
 
"Everybody is on board. Every single person in my caucus has signed on to this. There's a lot of power behind that when you have everybody putting their name on this piece of paper, so I suspect it will move pretty quickly because of that," McNally said.
 
"Having this many co-sponsors is a really good indication of the will of the House," Cutrona added. "I anticipate that this resolution will move quickly off the House floor and send its way down to D.C. and make sure the federal level takes the necessary approaches going forward."