The president also offered support for a bipartisan rail safety bill introduced in the Senate.
Topline
President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday he plans to visit East Palestine, Ohio “at some point,” and backed a bipartisan rail safety bill, as his administration faces mounting criticism over its response to a train derailment near the town early last month that caused an environmental disaster.Key Facts
Biden made the statement following a Senate Democratic lunch, but he did not give any indication of when he might go.
Though federal response teams were on the ground shortly after the February 3 train derailment, the Biden Administration has faced immense political criticism over its initially quiet reaction to the disaster, such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg taking a week-and-a-half to make a public statement.
Biden’s comments came just hours after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R)—who has largely been supportive of the administration’s response—said Biden needed to visit, telling Fox & Friends: “The people want to see the president.
