The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee will vote on a comprehensive rail safety bill on Wednesday. The bill is a response to a Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio on February 3rd.

The legislation, spearheaded by Ohio's senators, Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican J.D. Vance, will require the use of technology that can detect equipment malfunctions and prevent hasty railcar inspections. It will also enforce stronger safety regulations for trains carrying hazardous materials like the one that derailed in Ohio.

Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, a Democrat, emphasized that the bill's aim is to ensure that railroads do not compromise safety and endanger their communities. The proposed legislation builds on the Ohio senators' bill introduced in March and includes provisions like increasing the maximum civil penalties for rail safety violations from $100,000 to $10 million and requiring two crew members to operate a train.

Republican Senators Mike Braun, Roger Marshall, and Mitt Romney, as well as former President Donald Trump, have endorsed the latest version of the bill. However, the Association of American Railroads has raised concerns about some of its provisions.

The Norfolk Southern train derailment involved 38 cars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials. The spill caused toxic vinyl chloride and other hazardous chemicals to leak and catch fire. The U.S. Justice Department sued Norfolk Southern Corp on March 31 to ensure that the railroad pays for the full cost of cleanup and any long-term effects of the derailment. The company incurred a $387 million charge in the first quarter, primarily for environmental expenses. No deaths or injuries were reported, but some residents in East Palestine have reported health issues since the derailment. Photo by Scrumshus, Wikimedia commons.