Yesterday, I visited East Palestine with the Ohio EPA Administrator. We heard from residents and met with first responders and saw the gnarled and turned over train cars at the derailment site.

It’s clear that the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities are scared and looking for answers. I’m exploring every option to assist them and we are going to make sure they get the help they need.

That’s why I called on Governor DeWine to officially declare a disaster in East Palestine and seek the full support of the federal government to bolster the state of Ohio’s ongoing clean-up efforts.

I’ve also warned Norfolk Southern that they should not, under any circumstance, force any East Palestine residents to sign away their legal rights to get the money they're owed. This company is going to be held responsible for what happened and we’re going to make sure of that.

We’re working to marshal more resources to this community. Yesterday, I co-authored and sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requesting they act immediately to provide additional assistance and resources on the ground in East Palestine to help the affected community assess and address the public health impacts of the derailment.

It’s an honor to serve Ohio in the U.S. Senate and be able to build bridges between our communities and the federal government. I will continue to do all that it takes to support this community.

If you are looking for a way to help the residents of East Palestine, I encourage you to donate to the Brightside Project, a Columbiana County nonprofit helping local families get the help and resources they need.