House Panel Probes ‘Slow Pace’ of Biden Admin’s Response to Ohio Train Derailment

House Republicans are launching a probe of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s response to the Feb. 3 derailment of a freight train that resulted in toxic chemicals being released into the air, water, and soil in Ohio.
In a letter to Buttigieg, 21 GOP lawmakers from the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability expressed concerns about the “slow pace” of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) response, and its impact on the environment and public health.
The letter also questions the DOT’s alleged failure to ensure safe and reliable transport infrastructure in the United States.
“This incident is an environmental and public health emergency that now threatens Americans across state lines,” the lawmakers wrote. “Despite the [DOT’s] responsibility to ensure safe and reliable transport in the United States, you ignored the catastrophe for over a week.”…}