[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1739 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1739

    To authorize grants to improve security on over-the-road buses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 28, 2001

  Mr. Cleland introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To authorize grants to improve security on over-the-road buses.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. EMERGENCY OVER-THE-ROAD BUS SECURITY ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 311 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec.  31109. Over-the-road bus security grant program
    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Fund established.--The Secretary of the Treasury 
        shall establish an Over-the-road Bus Security Fund account in 
        the Treasury into which the Secretary of the Transportation 
        shall deposit amounts appropriated under paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
        Transportation $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and 
        $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2003, for deposit into the account 
        established under paragraph (1). Amounts deposited into the 
        account shall remain available until expended.
    ``(b) Grant Program.--Without further appropriation, amounts in the 
Over-the-road Bus Security Fund account are available to the Secretary 
of Transportation for direct grants to persons engaged in the business 
of providing over-the-road bus transportation for system-wide security 
upgrades, including the reimbursement of extraordinary security-related 
costs determined by the Secretary to have been incurred by such 
operators since September 11, 2001, including--
            ``(1) establishing an emergency communications and 
        notification system linked to law enforcement or emergency 
        response personnel;
            ``(2) protecting or isolating the driver;
            ``(3) implementing and operating passenger screening 
        programs at terminals and on over-the-road buses (as defined in 
        section 3038(a)(3) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 
        21st Century (49 U.S.C. 5310 nt));
            ``(4) acquiring, upgrading, installing, or operating 
        equipment, software, or accessorial services for collection, 
        storage, or exchange of passenger and driver information 
        through ticketing systems or otherwise, and information links 
        with government agencies;
            ``(5) constructing or modifying terminals, garages, 
        facilities, or over-the-road buses to assure their security;
            ``(6) training employees in recognizing and responding to 
        terrorist threats, evacuation procedures, passenger screening 
        procedures, and baggage inspection;
            ``(7) hiring and training security officers;
            ``(8) installing cameras and video surveillance equipment 
        on over-the-road buses and at terminals, garages and over-the-
        road bus facilities; and
            ``(9) creating a program for employee identification and 
        background investigation.
    ``(c) Applications.--To receive a grant under subsection (b), an 
applicant shall submit an application, at such time, in such manner, in 
such form, and containing such information, as the Secretary may 
require, and a plan that meets the requirements of subsection (c) for 
the project to be funded, in whole or in part, by the grant.
    ``(d) Plan Required.--The Secretary may not make a grant under 
subsection (b) for a system-wide security upgrade project until the 
applicant has submitted to the Secretary, and the Secretary has 
approved, a plan for the project, and the applicant has submitted to 
the Secretary such additional information as the Secretary may require 
in order to ensure full accountability for the obligation or 
expenditure of grant amounts.
    ``(e) Federal Standards.--Section 5333 of this title applies to any 
work financed with a grant under this section to the same extent as if 
it were financed with a grant under chapter 53 of this title. The 
application of that section does not affect or discharge any other 
responsibility of the Secretary under this title with respect to work 
financed by a grant under this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) The chapter analysis for chapter 311 of title 49, 
        United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``state'' in the heading for 
                subchapter I; and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 
                31108 the following:

``31109. Over-the-road bus security grant program.''.

SEC. 2. BUS SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation may use not less 
than $3,000,000 and not more than $5,000,000 of the amounts deposited 
in the Over-the-road Bus Security Fund account established under 
section 31109 of title 49, United States Code, for research and 
development of security recommendations for over-the-road buses (as 
defined in section 3038(a)(3) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 
21st Century (49 U.S.C. 5310 nt)), including--
            (1) a review of actions already taken to address identified 
        security issues by both public and private entities;
            (2) research on engine shut-off mechanisms, chemical and 
        biological weapon detection technology, and the feasibility of 
        compartmentalization of the driver; and
            (3) compilation, review, and dissemination of industry best 
        practices.
    (b) Consultation With Industry, Labor, and Other Groups.--In 
carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with over-the-
road bus management and labor representatives, public safety and law 
enforcement officials, and the National Academy of Sciences.
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