President Donald Trump’s Department of Transportation formally called on members of Congress to pass the Railway Safety Act of 2026, according to a report published by Bloomberg Government on March 12.
A DOT spokeswoman is quoted telling Bloomberg, “President Trump and the USDOT are committed to enhancing safety across our transportation network. The department supports the Railway Safety Act and looks forward to implementing the bill when it is passed.”
It should be noted that Bloomberg reports that these efforts by the White House “reflect the rising influence of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters within the administration.” In 2024, Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien became the first Teamster president to address the Republican National Convention.
Also, Vice President JD Vance has continued to push for passage of the bill, which he originally sponsored in 2023 as a U.S. Senator from Ohio in the aftermath of the East Palestine disaster. BLET and the Teamsters have been in regular communication with the Trump-Vance administration to push for commonsense rail safety reforms.
Throughout early 2026, BLET President Mark Wallace and First Vice President Gary Best spent significant time meeting with members of Congress regarding BLET’s rail safety priorities. Following those meetings, the Railway Safety Act was introduced in the Senate on February 24 and in the House of Representatives on March 2.
Heavy opposition to the Railway Safety Act continues from lobbyists for the railroad industry, including their trade association, the Association of American Railroads (AAR). The railroad industry has been opposed to the Railway Safety Act and its commonsense reforms since it was introduced back in 2023, despite their claims that they are committed to improving safety in the rail industry following the disaster in East Palestine, Ohio.
The full article (behind a paywall) is available on the Bloomberg website.