WASHINGTON — During a Senate committee hearing in Washington, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testified nearly five weeks after the toxic Ohio train derailment in East Palestine.
During the hearing, Senator Bernie Sanders asked Shaw if he would pay for the residents of East Palestine's healthcare needs following the incident.
"Senator, we are going to do what is right for the citizens of East Palestine," said Shaw. Sanders interrupted Shaw's response, stating, "What is right is to cover their healthcare needs. Will you do that?"
In response, Shaw said that "Everything is on the table."
The question came less than a week after the Ohio Department of Health announced that headaches and anxiety were among the top symptoms reported by East Palestine residents after the train derailment.
Many residents also are reporting symptoms of coughing, fatigue, irritation and burning of the skin.
3News' Emma Henderson spoke with resident Giovanni Irizarry who has experienced symptoms following the controlled release of toxic chemicals that took place over a month ago.
"For me, it’s a lot of mouth and lip tingling and chest issues and then for other people in my family, it’s vertigo and coughing and headaches for days at a time," Irizarry said."
Later in the hearing on Thursday, Shaw said that he would live in East Palestine when asked by Senator Lindsey Graham.
"Senator, the EPA and Ohio EPA have very high standards and I trust their testing."
Before Thursday's hearing, Norfolk Southern released the full prepared remarks from Shaw, which can be viewed HERE.
In those remarks, Shaw addressed the East Palestine residents affected by the train derailment.
"I look forward today to sharing our progress cleaning the derailment site, assisting families whose lives were disrupted, investing in the community, and making Norfolk Southern and the railroad industry safer. I am deeply sorry for the impact this derailment has had on the people of East Palestine and surrounding communities, and I am determined to make it right."