More than a year after the derailment, East Palestine continues to rebuild — long after the media spotlight has faded, and most reporters have moved on.

We all remember the sight of dark smoke billowing over the small Ohio town. These disturbing images came shortly after a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed on the evening of Feb. 3, 2023.

Since then, the lives of thousands in the vicinity have been turned upside down as toxic chemicals infiltrated neighborhoods, schools and every corner of our community.

As lifelong Ohioans, we have spent the last year and a half talking, listening and working with residents to ensure they know they are not forgotten and that we are working for them.

One mother in East Palestine fears every day that her daughter might face severe health complications from the chemical spill as she grows up. After years of struggling with infertility, she was blessed with her daughter. Now, she lives in fear of long-term effects from these chemicals as there has been no testing done to identify potential complications.

Another mother, who had four foster kids living with her at the time, was forced to evacuate after the derailment. Two months later, the EPA cleared her to return home. However, she and one of her foster children soon fell ill, hampering her ability to care for herself and her other kids. When she sought aid from the assistance center, she was told to relocate yet again. Almost a year later, she was finally able to return home but has continued getting sick from exposure to the chemicals.

These stories are all too common. In response, local, state, and federal officials have been working to rebuild the community. One of the most notable actions, a few months after the derailment, was when Gov. Mike DeWine urgently requested that President Biden issue a Major Presidential Disaster Declaration to aid in the physical, mental, and economic recovery in the town.

To this day, President Biden has not made the declaration, citing he does not deem it necessary. This can only be said by someone so out of touch with the people on the ground that he did not bother to step foot in East Palestine until over a year later. He hasn’t heard their stories. He hasn’t talked with small business owners struggling to stay afloat or met with parents worried that their children’s health may never be the same.

Furthermore, under his and Vice President Kamala Harris’ leadership, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has failed to monitor the potential long-term health impacts of the train derailment and ensure the availability of needed treatments. The safety and well-being of East Palestine residents should be a top priority of this administration, yet our community has faced nothing but disappointment.

With no action or recognition from the Biden-Harris Administration, we must take the reins in Congress. We are strongly advocating for passage of the East Palestine Health Impact Monitoring Act of 2024, which we both sponsored in the House to authorize funding through Fiscal Year 2028 to conduct a study of the long-term health impacts of the derailment.

Specifically, this bill would require the HHS Secretary to award a grant, contract or cooperative agreement to a group of public or private higher education institutions to conduct a study on the human health impacts resulting from the derailment and subsequent venting and burning of liquid chemicals. It also requires the Secretary to give additional consideration to eligible entities that have established relationships within the affected communities.

These types of voluntary public health surveillance activities are critical to understand the scope of potential health consequences caused by the derailment that many residents and first responders were likely exposed to in East Palestine over the past year.

With broad support in the Senate, including both Ohio Senators Vance and Brown, we can strongly advocate for the legislation in both the House and the Senate. As we have seen, any American town can be turned upside down in mere seconds. Only through a full and thorough study of these potential health impacts can we implement appropriate measures to aid the people of East Palestine in their continued recovery.

Michael Rulli (R-Ohio 6) and Dave Joyce (R-Ohio 14) are U.S. representatives in Congress.