美国国家公共电台 NPR--Senate to hold a hearing on a Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio

Senate to hold a hearing on a Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio

Transcript¹

Senators will ask about the cause and impact of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, when they open the first congressional hearing on Thursday.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Today the Senate is holding the first congressional hearing on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Senators on the Environment and Public Works Committee will hear from railroad executives, local leaders and their own colleagues. NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo is here with a preview. Ximena, what will the senators try to get out of this hearing?

XIMENA BUSTILLO, BYLINE²: Lawmakers want to learn exactly why the derailment happened, details on the federal and local response and steps should this ever happen again. If you recall, at the start of February, a train carrying hazardous³ materials derailed, causing a spill of toxic⁴ chemicals. Residents had to temporarily evacuate⁵ for controlled burns to get rid of some of the chemicals, and there have been many health and environmental concerns.

There will be two panels of witnesses. The first will actually be fellow Senate colleagues - Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance and Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey will be giving their own testimonies⁶ about how their communities were affected⁷. The second panel includes the head of Norfolk Southern. Also speaking will be Environmental Protection Agency officials as well.

MART?NEZ: Now, there has been a lot of scrutiny⁸ into how this happened, so what could we hear from the railroad and its CEO, Alan Shaw?

BUSTILLO: In prepared remarks obtained by NPR, the Norfolk Southern CEO said he is deeply sorry for the impact and, quote, "determined⁹ to make it right." Norfolk Southern is really trying to get ahead of the safety issue before what's expected to be intense questioning from all committee members on the company's safety record. The National Transportation Safety Board this week opened a rare special investigation¹⁰ into the company's safety practices after another train derailment in Ohio over the weekend and the death of a conductor in Cleveland earlier this week who police say was killed when a dump truck hit a train car in a rail yard.

MART?NEZ: Wow. I mean, what can Congress do?

BUSTILLO: Well, the two Ohio senators testifying today spent time in East Palestine and will focus on the need for tighter regulations and passage of a bill that they recently introduced called the Railway Safety Act. It increases safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, ensures crews have at least two people and increases fines for rail carriers. Some of these were also recommended by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg earlier in February.

Now, the National Transportation Safety Board issued an initial report into what caused the derailment. They found that it was in part caused by an overheating wheel bearing. So the department and Congress are really also using this event as a way to push for reforms beyond just what caused this particular derailment.

MART?NEZ: And Republicans, including former President Donald Trump¹¹, have criticized President Biden because he has not visited East Palestine. How is the administration responding?

BUSTILLO: During a press call with reporters, Delaware Senator Carper said that his understanding is that the president will make a trip, and he's the one that's the chair of this committee that's holding the hearing. But the White House has not announced any trips. And instead, officials have continuously pointed¹² to having people on the ground within what they say was hours of the accident. Either way, the president has come out in favor of Brown and Vance's bill, and he specifically called it a tool to hold rail companies accountable. It also helps that the bill is bipartisan. Separately, the Transportation Department is working on finalizing¹³ its own rule that would require at least two crew members on board. This is very similar to in the bill. Now, it's important to note that the train that derailed did have three crew members, but the department says, generally, more crew members can help in response to issues should they happen again.

MART?NEZ: NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo, thanks.

BUSTILLO: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

4 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

5 evacuate   

v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便

参考例句：

• We must evacuate those soldiers at once!我们必须立即撤出这些士兵！
• They were planning to evacuate the seventy American officials still in the country.他们正计划转移仍滞留在该国的70名美国官员。

6 testimonies   

（法庭上证人的）证词( testimony的名词复数 )； 证明，证据

参考例句：

• Davie poured forth his eloquence upon the controversies and testimonies of the day. 戴维向他滔滔不绝地谈那些当时有争论的问题和上帝的箴言。
• Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. 22求你除掉我所受的羞辱和藐视，因我遵守你的法度。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

11 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

12 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

13 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网