House Republicans are probing the Transportation Department’s handling of the Norfolk Southern Corp. chemical train derailment earlier this month that released a toxic soup of chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio.
A letter Friday from the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability requests all documents and communications regarding the department’s public response to the incident, which has led to bipartisan criticism of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Among the documents sought by the committee are communications to show when Buttigieg learned about the train derailment.
“The American people deserve answers as to what caused the derailment, and DOT needs to provide an explanation for its leadership’s apathy in the face of this emergency,” said the letter to Buttigieg, which was led by Representative James Comer, the committee’s chair. “The Committee is deeply concerned by DOT’s slow pace in resolving this matter.”
The administration last week defended Buttigieg, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying the president had “absolute confidence” in him, while the White House has noted the Department of Transportation had officials at the scene of the derailment within hours of the incident. Buttigieg has also pushed back against some lawmakers who have criticized him, alleging they had sided with the railroad industry’s attempt to block safety measures.
