U.S. Reps. Michael Rulli and Dave Joyce, Republicans who represent the Mahoning Valley, along with two House Democrats, reintroduced legislation for a five-year study of the long-term health impacts caused by the Feb. 3, 2023, disastrous train derailment in East Palestine.

Joyce, R-Bainbridge, said East Palestine and surrounding communities “are still suffering from the train derailment and resulting contamination from thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals.”

Joyce, whose district includes Trumbull County, said: “Unfortunately, there is still a need for more research to uncover the long-term impacts and address the valid concerns of the people in the area. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that the proper research is conducted, and I hope to see it move forward quickly.”

Joyce introduced the same legislation May 23, 2024. It was referred to the House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health, which never held a hearing.

The bill also was introduced March 21, 2024, in the Senate without being passed in the upper chamber.

The reintroduction in the House of the East Palestine Health Impact Act is sponsored by Joyce; Rulli, R-Salem, whose district includes Mahoning and Columbiana counties; Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo; and Emilia Sykes, D-Akron.

The bill would authorize funding – though an amount isn’t included in the bill – over the next five years to study the long-term health impacts of the train derailment.

It would require the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to award a grant, contract or cooperative agreement to a group of higher education institutions to conduct a study on the human health impacts due to the derailment and controlled explosion of hazardous chemicals in East Palestine.

HHS would be required to submit a report to congressional committees and a progress report on the status of research to those committees two years after the bill goes into effect.

Rulli said: “After speaking directly with my constituents, one thing is clear – fear about long-term health impacts are real and persistent. This legislation is a critical step forward, requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct rigorous research to identify any harmful effects, both now and for generations to come.”

He added: “I am unwavering in my commitment to push this through both the House and Senate. Our community deserves nothing less than action, answers and a clear path to full recovery.”

Vice President J.D. Vance, a vocal advocate for East Palestine when he was a U.S. senator from Ohio, visited the village Monday and vowed the “community will not be forgotten, will not be left behind and we are in it for the long haul.”

Vance, a Republican, didn’t announce any new programs or efforts for East Palestine during his visit, but he said he was optimistic that the Railway Safety Act that he sponsored in response to the derailment that put protections in place to reduce the chance of a similar incident occurring again would be approved by Congress.

Rulli was with Vance during Monday’s visit.

About 50 Norfolk Southern railroad cars, including 10 carrying hazardous materials, derailed Feb. 3, 2023, in East Palestine. Five of the cars, carrying vinyl chloride, were purposely blown up three days later, releasing the toxic chemical into the air.

The derailment and controlled explosion caused the evacuation of thousands of residents of East Palestine and nearby communities.

Several residents have concerns about long-term health issues from releasing toxic chemicals into the air, soil and water.

The explosion was done at the recommendations of Specialized Professional Services Inc. and Specialized Response Solutions, two Norfolk Southern contractors.

The contractors said that not performing the controlled burn would have meant an uncontrolled explosion that could have spread toxic chemicals and shrapnel for miles.

During a March 6, 2024, Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Vance questioned Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, about the controlled explosion. She said Norfolk Southern contractors who made that recommendation “lacked the scientific background to address that” decision.

Norfolk Southern has denied the charges that the controlled burn wasn’t necessary.

During a Feb. 16, 2024, visit to East Palestine, then-President Joe Biden, a Democrat, announced there would be six National Institutes of Health grants to study the short- and long-term effects of the derailment. The grants were awarded to six universities including Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

No results from the studies have been provided, and the funding for the research expires at the end of the year.

Michael Oakes, Case Western’s senior vice president of research and technology management, said of the reintroduction of the health impact bill: “The people of East Palestine still have questions and concerns about the possible long-term health impacts, if any, of exposure to hazardous chemicals following the train derailment. A longitudinal comparative study on human health effects is the best way to answer these questions.”