Railroading has been part of my family for four generations. I spent more than three decades in the industry, beginning in the signal craft, before taking on my current responsibility as National Legislative Director of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen. Those years taught me that when it comes to representing working people, actions matter more than words.
Congressman Rob Bresnahan has taken action. Two recent train derailments in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District have reminded us that rail safety isn’t an abstract issue debated in Washington. When a train derails, railroad workers, first responders, families, and communities can all be affected.
Rob responded by helping to move rail safety legislation forward.
He cosponsored the Railway Safety Act of 2026 and later co-led the bipartisan Railway Safety Act amendment to the BUILD America 250 Act. That amendment advanced important protections involving hazardous materials, wayside defect detectors, rail inspections, two-person crews, first responders, and other safeguards for workers and
communities.
For railroad workers, that matters. But Rob’s support for working people isn’t limited to those who work on the railroad. He has supported collective bargaining rights and other priorities important to union members and working families. That tells me something about the kind of representative he wants to be.
Working people don’t expect to agree with every elected official on every issue. We shouldn’t. But we should expect our representatives to listen to the people who actually do the work, respect their experience, and be willing to act when it matters.
Rob has demonstrated that willingness.
He has also shown that supporting workers and working across the aisle don’t need to be mutually exclusive. Rail safety certainly shouldn’t be partisan. A derailment doesn’t care whether the families living nearby are Republicans, Democrats, or Independents. When something goes wrong, everyone shares the consequences.
Rob has shown a willingness to listen, a respect for working people, and action on issues important to our members and the communities they call home.
As a fourth-generation railroader, I know the pride railroad families take in their work. They work nights, weekends, holidays, and in every kind of weather to keep America’s railroads moving. Those workers deserve a voice in Washington. Rob Bresnahan has demonstrated that he is willing to listen to that voice and stand with the people doing the work.
M.L. Efaw is the national legislative director for the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
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M.L. Efaw is the national legislative director for the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen