Smith, who was a Republican Senator for Michigan, had previously investigated railroad safety issues and had sponsored many of the safety and operating regulations passed by Congress to govern the operations of the American rail industry.
史密斯是来自密歇根州的共和党参议员，先前曾调查过铁路安全问题，并为许多国会通过的安全与运行条例投过赞成票，而这些法令用于来管理美国铁路行业的运行。