London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 01, 2025

Senate GOP populists push Republican colleagues to back railway regulations, arguing 'their voters' are the most affected by disasters

Senate GOP populists push Republican colleagues to back railway regulations, arguing 'their voters' are the most affected by disasters

The train derailment in East Palestine is giving the Senate GOP's handful of self-styled populists an opening to push the party in their direction.
Nearly two months have passed since a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, leading to an ongoing environmental crisis for the town's residents.

So far, Congress has yet to act legislatively to try to prevent a similar disaster. But Norfolk CEO Alan Shaw's second appearance before a Senate committee on Wednesday offered a trio of self-styled populists in the Senate GOP the opportunity to renew their arguments for stronger regulations for the nation's railways.

"Republican leaders have to appreciate that there is some tension between what the railways are doing, and the safety of lot of rural communities that disproportionately vote Republican," Sen. JD Vance of Ohio told Insider at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Vance, along with fellow Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Marco Rubio of Florida, are touting the Railway Safety Act of 2023. The bill that includes new safety protocols for trains carrying hazardous materials, installing detectors alongside railroads to prevent wheel bearing failures, requiring at least two people operate a train, and increasing fines for wrongdoing.

But while Democrats are broadly receptive to the legislation — both President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have endorsed the bill — most Republicans have shown a weariness so far to get behind the legislation.

"Republicans are so often resistant to any kind of regulation, whether it's environmental, consumer or public safety," said Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, one of three Democratic co-sponsors of the bill. "Vance is taking them to task on that."

In a Fox News op-ed published on Wednesday, the populist trio made a rather blunt argument as to why their bill "should be of special interest" to Republicans: those affected by train disasters are likely to be GOP voters.

"America's railroads run through their rural districts and red communities," the trio wrote. "When derailments occur, it is predominantly Republican voters—their voters—who bear the brunt and who rush to put out the fires."

In the age of Trump, Republicans have increasingly sought to portray themselves as the party of the working class, both in cultural and economic terms. In arguing against Biden's student debt cancellation plan, for example, the most potent Republican line of attack has not been that students must accept personal responsibility for their loans, but that those who benefit from the program are those that were able to get a college degree in the first place.

But the East Palestine derailment and the resulting legislative debate are putting that notion to the test, as Republicans continue to resist using the power of the state to enact new safeguards on the railway industry.

Rubio blamed the lack of Republican support on conservatives' "traditional views of government: that over-regulation, or regulation, is always bad."

But he argued that there's still a common-sense role for regulation.

"Every time I get on an airplane, I'm glad that's a regulated airplane," he said.

At a Senate Commerce hearing on Wednesday, ranking member Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said that there may be an "opportunity for real and meaningful bipartisan cooperation" on railway safety, but he has yet to back the senators' bill.

And Cruz spent much of his opening remarks assailing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for proposing "big government regulatory proposals" to fix the problem.

Vance, speaking in favor of his bill at that same hearing, also invoked the phrase "big government" — but to argue that criticism of his bill as a "big government solution to the railway safety problem" was "outrageous" and "ridiculous."

"Vance can talk their language well," Brown later observed of his freshman Republican counterpart.

For his part, Vance offered an optimistic take on the bill's prospects, particularly in light of the introduction of a similar measure in the House.

"Look, I think if the vote were held today, we'd get 65 votes in the Senate," he told Insider.

"My view is, we got to put this thing on the floor," said Hawley. "Make people vote on it, and let's just see who votes no."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
×