Baldwin Says She’s Redoubling Efforts To Improve Rail Safety

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says she’s redoubling efforts to change railway safety regulations after two trains carrying oil and ethanol derailed in Wisconsin this weekend.

Baldwin said she’s focusing her efforts on two rail safety amendments she added to the Senate’s transportation budget bill. She said they would allow the Federal Railroad Administration to share railroad reports on infrastructure and require railroads to tell first responders when hazardous materials are being shipped through town.

“They need to know what they’re going into, what they’re fighting, what they’re facing and to protect the public,” said Baldwin. “And this to me seems like a commonsense, most-basic expectation of transparency from the railroads.”

Baldwin introduced a standalone rail safety bill in March but it hasn’t gotten much traction. Her amendments in the Senate transportation budget must still survive a vote in the House of Representatives.