“The residents of East Palestine deserve to know how this disaster has impacted their long-term health.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators JD Vance (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to the Biden administration to call on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to utilize its full authorities to monitor, and ensure affordable treatment for, the potential long-term health impacts of the train derailment, and to establish a voluntary disease registry for the residents of East Palestine. The senators are asking HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to establish and maintain a national registry of serious diseases and illnesses of persons exposed to toxic substances. Participation would be fully voluntary for East Palestine residents. The senators’ request comes in response to requests from residents who have called for this type of voluntary tracking and investigation of possible trends in illness and recovery.
“We write to you today to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to utilize its full authorities to continue to support the local community and monitor and ensure affordable treatment for the potential long-term health impacts of the train derailment, and to establish a voluntary disease registry for the residents of East Palestine,” wrote Senators Vance and Brown.
Read the senators’ letter here and below.
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