Fetterman Statement on Three-Year Anniversary of Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the third anniversary of the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train along the Pennsylvania-Ohio border, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) released the following statement:

"Three years ago, the toxic Norfolk Southern train derailment shook communities along the Pennsylvania-Ohio border.

"As I've said before, this derailment was a tragedy, and it's something we could have prevented. I'm proud to have co-led legislation to hold railroads accountable and make sure another tragedy like that never happens again.

"Three years later and Congress still hasn't done right by these communities.

"I renew my call for my colleagues to join me in passing commonsense legislation, including the Railway Safety Act, to make East Palestine, Darlington Township, and all our communities safer. "

As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Senator Fetterman is committed to delivering meaningful reforms to make railroads safer.

Senator Fetterman was an original co-lead of the Railway Safety Act, joining then-Senator JD Vance (R-OH) and former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to introduce the bill in March 2023. That bipartisan bill would have increased penalties for railroads involved in toxic spills and strengthened protections to prevent future train derailments. The bill was passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee last year but did not receive a vote on the floor.

Senator Fetterman also introduced the Railway Accountability Act in March 2023 in response to the Norfolk Southern derailment. The bill included practical railway safety reforms to hold railroads accountable for the safety and well-being of workers and passengers. He also introduced the Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act with former Senators Casey and Brown, which would have supported first responders on the front lines of hazardous train derailments.

In September 2025, the National Institutes of Health launched a 5-year, $10 million program to assess the long-term health effects of this toxic derailment in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. With support from Senator Fetterman, the funding for this critical research includes more than $440,000 for the University of Pittsburgh, which will oversee the effort to study the consequences of the derailment on the liver and liver/thyroid axis, particularly among those who were exposed to vinyl chloride, which was among the hazardous chemicals that contaminated the air, soil, and water in East Palestine, Darlington Township, and surrounding communities.