New Rail Safety Bill Addresses East Palestine “Vent and Burn” Failures 

SMART-TD is proud to endorse a new bipartisan bill introduced by Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Congressman Michael Rulli (R-OH-06): the Under Pressure Act.

As we approach the third anniversary of the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the images from that night are still burned into the public’s memory. A black mushroom cloud rose over a small town after the decision was made to vent and burn five tank cars filled with hazardous materials. This was a decision that forever changed lives, shook public confidence in rail safety, and exposed serious failures in communication and emergency response.

For SMART-TD members, this was a turning point.

Since that derailment, multiple states have taken action to improve rail safety, including new laws requiring stronger and more reliable use of wayside defect detectors. In Congress, both the House and Senate have debated multiple rail safety bills aimed at addressing crew size, inspections, equipment standards, and hazardous materials handling. Despite all that activity, no comprehensive rail safety bill has reached the president’s desk.

One critical issue has remained largely untouched: the breakdown in communication, procedures, and technical understanding that led to the vent-and-burn decision itself. The Under Pressure Act addresses this oversight. 

Under Pressure Act developed within impacted Communities 

This legislation is different because the lawmakers behind it represent the communities that paid the price. 

• Congressman Rulli, a Republican from Ohio’s 6th District, represents East Palestine, the town at the center of the derailment. 
• Congressman Deluzio, a Democrat from Pennsylvania’s 17th District, represents Beaver County, PA, just east of East Palestine, where residents were also directly affected by the toxic fallout. 

Together, they have introduced a bipartisan bill that focuses on one of the most misunderstood and poorly regulated parts of the derailment response: pressure relief devices on rail tank cars. 

Study Why Pressure Relief Valves Fail 

The Act requires the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to study how pressure relief devices perform during derailments involving fire and extreme heat. These devices are meant to prevent catastrophic tank car failures—but in East Palestine, their performance and the decisions surrounding them raised serious questions.

Under the bill, the FRA must submit a report to Congress that: 

• Examines how often pressure relief devices fail in derailments and why; 
• Analyzes conditions such as fire temperature, fire duration, tank car orientation, and commodity type; 
• Makes recommendations to prevent future failures; and 
• Provides updates on unresolved National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations related to tank cars.  

Just as important, the FRA is required to consult directly with rail labor, along with rail employers, tank car builders, shippers, and safety agencies.

That matters to SMART-TD, because rail safety decisions work best when the people who actually run trains and respond to emergencies have a seat at the table. 

Click here to read the text of the bill ►

Improve Derailment Responses, Not Just Prevention 

Many rail safety bills focus on what caused the derailment: track defects, equipment failures, or operating practices. The Under Pressure Act addresses what happened after the derailment, when confusion, missing data, and poor communication helped turn a bad situation into a national disaster.

For SMART-TD members, this bill recognizes a simple truth: safety doesn’t stop being important when the train leaves the rails.

Clear procedures, reliable equipment data, and informed decision-making during emergencies are just as critical as preventing derailments in the first place. 

A Step Forward, But Not the Finish Line 

The Under Pressure Act will not fix everything overnight. But it represents meaningful progress and a clear acknowledgment that East Palestine exposed gaps in rail safety that can no longer be ignored.

SMART-TD commends Congressmen Deluzio and Rulli for working across party lines and for listening to rail labor. As the third anniversary of East Palestine approaches, this bill sends an important message: we owe it to rail workers and the communities we serve to learn from our failures and do better.

SMART-TD will continue fighting for comprehensive rail safety reforms, and we will continue pushing until real, enforceable safety legislation finally reaches the president’s desk.