Republicans unveil resolution demanding that Pete Buttigieg SHUT DOWN for his response to train derailment, his vacation in Portugal amid rail strike talks and ‘prolonged absence’ amid supply chain crisis
- House Republicans introduced a resolution condemning Buttigieg for going ‘AWOL’ over the past two years during a series of infrastructure-related crises
- They called on him to resign
- Meanwhile, Senate Republican introduced a bill that would overhaul the railroad safety industry
Now that Congress is back in session, lawmakers are taking matters into their own hands for recovery efforts for East Palestine, Ohio, after massive criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the toxic train derailment.
Republican Representative Mike Waltz is leading the effort to call on Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to resign over his extremely delayed and perceived inadequate response to last month’s 50-car train crash.
The Florida lawmaker also notes that the resolution comes after years of Buttigieg “neglecting his duties during a historic supply chain crisis, commercial flight crisis, (and) railroad workers’ strike.”
Buttigieg was blasted for going on a Portuguese vacation last month after the Ohio train derailment instead of immediately visiting the crash site.
Republicans tabled a resolution on Wednesday calling on Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to resign and condemning him for going “AWOL” during a series of infrastructure-related crises over the past two years
It comes after the latest debacle when the Biden administration botched its response to the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last month.
Meanwhile, Ohio’s Democratic and Republican senators in the Senate are co-sponsoring legislation that would tighten trail safety requirements.
While there were no injuries or fatalities in the accident, the derailment and its aftermath have left the entire small Ohio village and surrounding towns in disarray.
About half of eastern Palestine’s more than 4,700 residents were evacuated after the crash as dangerous chemicals spilled into the air, soil and water.
After being allowed to return, some residents told DailyMail.com they are still feeling the effects of the toxic runoff, including rashes, shortness of breath, headaches and more.
The bill by Ohio Senators JD Vance, a Republican, and Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, requires railroads to prepare emergency plans and provide information to local emergency officials when trains pass through their jurisdictions carrying hazardous materials.
Although the shipment of dangerous goods by train accounts for about 7 to 8 percent of the 30 million deliveries each year, almost every train can carry at least one or two cars of dangerous goods.
The Railway Safety Act of 2023 is a bipartisan piece of legislation, reflecting much of what Buttigieg called for when he finally visited eastern Palestine 20 days after the derailments — which residents claimed was “too little, too late.”
“Through this legislation, Congress has a real opportunity to ensure that what happened in eastern Palestine never happens again,” Vance said in a statement.
“We owe every American the peace of mind that their community is protected from such a catastrophe.”
Buttigieg has been called on by Republicans to step down from office in response to the latest crisis.
Trump beat Buttigieg in eastern Palestine weeks after the 50-car derailment. He brought water and canned food for the residents
“Over the past two years, Secretary Buttigieg has gone AWOL during multiple national crises,” Congressman Waltz said in a statement introducing a resolution to remove Buttigieg from office.
From failing to respond immediately to last month’s major economic, environmental and humanitarian disaster in eastern Palestine, to neglecting its duties during a historic supply chain crisis, a commercial flight crisis, a rail workers’ strike and much more, Buttigieg’s mission compromised and failed. American people over and over again,” he added.
“That’s why I’m calling for his resignation.”
The resolution was co-sponsored by Representatives Lauren Boebert of Colorado; Clay Higgins of Louisiana; Greg Steube and Bill Posey both from Florida; Claudia Tenney from New York; Ryan Zinke Montana; Mary Miller of Illinois; and Mike Collins from Georgia.
