U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, pictured here at a recent roundtable discussion on rail safety, had many constituents in his Pennsylvania district affected by the derailment in East Palestine.
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U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) has been appointed to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the remainder of the current session of Congress. His appointment fills a vacancy on the committee following the death of New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne in April.
The issue of transportation and infrastructure became front and center for Deluzio’s western Pennsylvania congressional district in February 2023 when a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed just over his district’s border in East Palestine, Ohio. Beaver County residents in Deluzio’s district were affected by the derailment and the aftermath, and Deluzio joined other elected officials in the region aiming to hold Norfolk Southern accountable.
Following the derailment, Deluzio and U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) introduced the House version of the Railway Safety Act in March 2023. The Senate version was introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH). The legislation is intended to increase safety on American railroads, tighten regulations, and increase penalties for railroads.
More information can be found here.
House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee image