Senate delays action on rail safety bill ahead of Ohio election

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The Senate is expected to adjourn without voting on Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D-OH) rail safety bill before the Nov. 5 election. The bill, introduced in response to the East Palestine train derailment, initially gained momentum with bipartisan support but has stalled in recent months.

The bill aims to raise rail safety standards and increase fines for infractions. Brown’s Republican colleague, Sen. J.D. Vance, helped secure seven Republican votes, leaving the bill two votes short of overcoming a filibuster. However, there has been little movement since it passed the Senate Commerce Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had labeled the bill a priority, but with senators set to leave for the entire month of October, a vote is unlikely before the election. Brown faces a tight race against Republican Bernie Moreno, with the rail safety bill seen as a potential political win for him in Ohio.

While Vance claims to have the necessary GOP votes, he has not shared details, and passing the bill through the Republican-controlled House poses an additional challenge.