EAST PALESTINE (WKBN) — President Donald Trump cited the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment disaster as a reason for Congress to include the Railway Safety Act in the Surface Transportation Bill.

“I am, therefore, strongly urging Congress to include the Railway Safety Act, which I strongly endorsed in 2023, in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill,” Trump stated in a recent Truth Social post. “I am asking all Republicans to vote YES when this Bill comes up as an Amendment in the Transportation Committee this week.”

Trump visited East Palestine shortly after the derailment, telling residents they “are not forgotten.” He’s continued to provide support for the community, announcing back in February that his administration would provide $10 million to the village through the Economic Development Administration to aid the community’s recovery.

He’s also been vocal in his disapproval of how then-President Biden handled the situation.

“I have long said that the horrific tragedy that beset East Palestine in 2023, along with Sleepy Joe Biden’s utterly incompetent response, must NEVER happen again,” Trump stated in the most recent post. “I quickly and strongly stood up for, and visited, the incredible Patriots of East Palestine, an action that forced Biden and FEMA, who had said they would not be sending Federal Aid to East Palestine, to “move” on sending a team.”

Ohio Senators Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, plus Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026 earlier this year. This bill addresses safety requirements for rail carriers and trains transporting hazardous materials.

The bill would require the Department of Transportation to instate safety regulations carriers must follow, such as:

Providing state emergency response commissioners with advance notice and information about the hazardous materials

Reducing blocked rail crossings

Comply with certain requirements regarding train length and weight specifications, track standards, speed restrictions, and response plans

The department must also establish requirements for wayside defect detectors, which are used by railway systems alongside the tracks to detect defects and failures. In a review of the East Palestine train derailment by the National Transportation Safety Board, they reported that a defective wheel bearing was the cause.

Some other items of note in the bill includes:

Increasing the maximum fines DOT may impose on rail carriers for violating safety regulations

Establishing a statutory requirement for freight trains to have at least two crew members, with exceptions

Expanding training for local first responders

Authorizing grants to improve railway safety