Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, R-N.Y., told Newsmax on Wednesday he understands the Biden administration's need to handle foreign affairs, but not when there are more pressing matters at home, such as the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that led to toxic chemicals being released into the environment.
President Joe Biden has yet to visit the area, as well as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the administration has been slow to respond with emergency help.
The Federal Emergency Management Association, which leads the federal response to disasters, didn't arrive on the scene until Saturday, more than two weeks after the derailment, after previously declining to do so.
"I wish the president and the current administration was focused more on here in America than traveling around the world," D'Esposito told "American Agenda," referring to Biden's trips this week to Ukraine and Poland. "Obviously, having relationships with our allies and having relationships with people across the globe is super important to us and to everything that we hold dear.
"But right now, there are issues that are really important here in America, and I think that's what the president and administration should be focused on."
As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and chair of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, D'Esposito said he has been in contact with his colleagues to make sure the residents of East Palestine are getting everything they need on a federal level.
"There is nothing more important in times like these than resources and communication," D'Esposito said. "That's why we are working as a committee to make sure that our friends at FEMA are providing everything and anything necessary on the ground in East Palestine to make sure that the individuals there have everything that they need to keep Americans safe and to provide a clean-up so that we don't see issues in the future."
D'Esposito said he has no idea why Buttigieg has yet to visit but added he's looking forward to working with his colleagues on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, chaired by Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., to find out why the administration's response to this disaster has been so poor.
"One of the things that I believe we're going to do is start questioning and finding out what has failed and what we can do to make sure it's better in the future," he said. "And I'm sure one of the questions many people have is why the Transportation secretary has yet to visit Ohio."
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