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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) penned a letter to President Biden on Thursday demanding that he hearth Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg over his dealing with of the prepare derailment that dumped poisonous chemical substances in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month.
The Florida Republican argued within the letter that Buttigieg’s response to derailment is simply the newest instance of habits that demonstrates a “gross degree of incompetence and apathy” that's placing the protection of People in danger.
“For 2 years, Secretary Buttigieg downplayed and ignored disaster after disaster, whereas prioritizing matters of little relevance to our nation’s transportation system. It's painfully clear to the American those who Secretary Buttigieg has little regard for the duties of the Secretary of Transportation,” Rubio writes within the letter despatched to the White Home.
“At no time has that been extra obvious than the previous two weeks. Secretary Buttigieg refused to acknowledge the catastrophe in East Palestine, Ohio, till his intentional ignorance was now not tenable. Even after acknowledging the tragedy, he continues to deflect any accountability for the protection of our nation’s rail system. The circumstances main as much as the derailment level to a transparent lack of oversight and demand engagement by our nation’s prime transportation official,” Rubio argues.
On Feb. 3, a cargo prepare heading from Pennsylvania to Illinois carrying 20 vehicles of hazardous chemical substances derailed within the small Ohio city. Residents inside a mile of the accident web site have been ordered to evacuate and others additional away have been informed to shelter in place as a fireplace emitting poisonous smoke burned.
Commercial
The discharge of vinyl chloride, proven to trigger most cancers at excessive ranges of publicity, and different chemical substances into the air and floor has raised critical issues concerning the future well being of residents.
Buttigieg’s first public feedback on the catastrophe didn’t come till Feb. 13, when he tweeted, partly: “I proceed to be involved concerning the impacts of the Feb 3 prepare derailment close to East Palestine, OH, and the results on households within the ten days since their lives have been upended by no fault of their very own.”
The previous mayor of South Bend, Ind., added that the Division of Transportation “has been supporting the investigation led by The Nationwide Transportation Security Board” and that “Federal Rail Administration and Pipelines and Hazardous Supplies groups have been onsite inside hours of the preliminary incident and proceed to be actively engaged.”
Rubio’s letter went on to hammer Buttigieg for being “utterly absent” in the course of the 2021 supply-chain disaster, vacationing in Portugal as a rail strike loomed, and for his in depth use of personal jets.
Rubio concluded by imploring Biden to request “the rapid resignation of Secretary Buttigieg.”
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