On February 24, 2026, Senator Jon Husted of Ohio and Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026. SMART General President Michael Coleman issued the following statement in response:
“Rail safety isn’t a Red issue or a Blue issue. It’s about keeping our country and our members safe and secure.
“Over three years ago, the devastating Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, showed just how important it is for lawmakers to listen to rail workers. That disaster put local families, railroaders and an entire town at risk. The image of that chemical explosion shocked our country — except the SMART-TD members who had been demanding a change even before that day, and who have continued to call for real solutions ever since.
“With the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2026, Congress can answer that call and take concrete actions to keep Americans safe: new safety standards for hazardous materials, train length regulations, two-person crews and more. We thank Senators Husted and Cantwell for introducing this crucial bill, and we call on Congress to stand with our members and pass it into law. Because as SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson stated when the legislation was introduced, safety is not a political issue. It is a moral obligation.”
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