fish and other aquatic animals have died as a result of the toxic chemical spill that has left ground soil contaminated while residents fear drinking the tap water.
Sen. J.D. Vance , Sens. Josh Hawley , Marco Rubio , John Fetterman , Bob Casey , and Sherrod Brown , introduced the Railway Safety Act to, among other things, increase fines for companies like Norfolk Southern that spur such disastrous train derailments. Likewise, the bipartisan bill would require rail companies to notify local firefighters and other first responders when hazardous chemicals are traveling through such communities. The bill, though, is deeply opposed by the nation’s biggest rail companies, including Norfolk Southern, which have been lobbying lawmakers in Washington, DC ,to oppose the legislation.
Among those opponents is Cruz, a longtime beneficiary of campaign contributions from rail companies, who is circulating a letter to House Republicans representing Texas that would have them publicly trash the Railway Safety Act and, specifically, secure opposition from Rep. Troy Nehls , who leads the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.