For six months, politicians and railroad industry leaders — well, mostly Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw — have loudly proclaimed their desire to “make right” what happened in East Palestine. Since the February derailment, there have been hearings and meeting, promises and … almost no progress.

According to a report by The Associated Press, major obstacles have been GOP leaders in Congress and the railroad industry.

“These rail lines pass frequently through Republican areas, small towns with a lot of Republican voters,” Ohio’s Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance said. “How can we look them in the eye and say, we’re doing a good job by you? If we choose the railroads over their own interests? We can’t.”

And while industry leaders may be opposed to change, railroad labor groups agree with Vance.

“There have been more than 60 high-profile derailments since East Palestine, including multiple in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Montana,” said the Transportation Trades Department coalition, which includes the rail unions. “Through it all, freight rail companies have maintained their fundamental disregard for public safety. Safety is just a buzzword to the railroads.”

That is to be expected, perhaps, on the industry side. But how can lawmakers claim to represent their constituents if they are so easily swayed? Industry reluctance should make them more fired up than ever to make change that will keep railway workers and communities safer.

“Let’s hit while the iron is hot,” as U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, put it.

It’s not happening because of confused lawmakers such as U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., who is now the Republican whip, but used to be a lobbyist for Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad. He is worried about the “cost of regulation” to the railroad industry. He opposed the railroad safety bill proposed by Vance and his Democratic counterpart from Ohio, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. It seems too may others in Washington, D.C., have had their thinking twisted in the same way.

One has to wonder how Thune and Co. worry about the “cost of regulation” when Norfolk Southern says the cost of its response to East Palestine alone will be at least $803 million. How is a figure approaching $1 billion for ONE derailment considered to be simply a cost of doing business when the costs associated with preventing such disasters (keeping humans safer and the environment healthier) is not?

While politicians show us where their priorities lie, residents of East Palestine and surrounding communities wait. Railroad workers wait. Meanwhile, the next disaster will come. Will it be enough to stir the consciences of lawmakers? What a shame it seems we will have to wait to find out.