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Rep. Payne, Jr.’s Statement on the Deadly Amtrak Train Derailment in Montana

September 26, 2021

Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr., chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, issued the following statement today regarding the deadly Amtrak train derailment that killed at least three people and injured dozens more near Joplin, Montana on September 25, 2021. The train had been traveling from Chicago, IL to the Pacific Northwest with about 141 passengers and 16 crew members when it derailed.

"My thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of the victims of yesterday's terrible tragedy. As the chairman of the Rail Subcommittee, I will work with local and federal authorities to find out what happened to cause this accident. Clearly, we need to provide more protections for rail passengers and prevent such an accident from occurring again. We must do everything we can to make sure our rail system is safe for all passengers and crew."

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