On the recordDecember 18, 2017
No Member of this body ever wants to come to this dais and say what I am about to say. This morning, a train derailed as it crossed Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington, in the heart of my district, sending railcars to the roadway below. Lives were lost and families were shattered. Loved ones are severely injured, including a family member of one of my staffers. All this, of course, right in the middle of the holiday season. Right now, many questions beg for answers. We need to determine what went wrong, and the NTSB will be investigating. But, for now, I am grateful for our first responders and the community for stepping up. So many set aside their grief and reported for duty, including many first responders who came in on their day off. Our hearts go out to the families impacted by this horrific tragedy, and we ask for everyone's prayers for the victims to continue to recover. ____________________
