"Three months after the devastating East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, senators are optimistic they can pass a bipartisan rail safety bill to prevent similar disasters.  

A group of senators from both parties are looking to pass legislation that would establish safety requirements for trains with hazardous material cargo after a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the eastern Ohio community in February.

The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday announced a May 10 markup of the bill, dubbed the Railway Safety Act.

Though Republicans have acknowledged the legislation may be a tough sell for some of their members, the bill could offer both parties the opportunity to pass their first major piece of bipartisan legislation this session amid an increasingly politically polarized Congress."

Karl Evers-Hillstrom, Caroline Vakil, and Zack Budryk report for The Hill May 4, 2023. [2]