[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2276 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2276

 To allow the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to Amtrak, 
     other rail carriers, and providers of mass transportation for 
      improvements to the security of our Nation's rail and mass 
                         transportation system.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 1, 2004

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To allow the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to Amtrak, 
     other rail carriers, and providers of mass transportation for 
      improvements to the security of our Nation's rail and mass 
                         transportation system.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Railroad and Mass Transportation 
Public Protection Program Act''.

SEC. 2. RAILROAD AND MASS TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC PROTECTION PROGRAM 
              GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may make 
grants to Amtrak, other rail carriers, and mass transportation 
providers for improvements to the security of the rail and mass 
transportation system within the United States.
    (b) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
be used--
            (1) to increase the law enforcement presence at rail 
        stations and on trains operated by Amtrak or other rail 
        carriers, and at bus stations and on buses operated by mass 
        transportation providers;
            (2) to increase the number of explosives detection canine 
        units at rail and bus stations; and
            (3) to provide funding for more surveillance equipment at 
        rail and bus stations, including video monitoring cameras.
    (c) Distribution of Funds.--Grants awarded pursuant to subsection 
(a) shall be distributed in accordance with the following formula:
            (1) One-third of the total amount of grants awarded 
        pursuant to subsection (a) shall be distributed to Amtrak for 
        use for Amtrak locations in an amount for a location that bears 
        the same ratio to the total amount distributed to Amtrak as--
                    (A) the total number of rail passengers served at 
                that location, bears to
                    (B) the total number of rail passengers served at 
                all Amtrak locations.
            (2) Two-thirds of the total amount of grants awarded 
        pursuant to subsection (a) shall be distributed among all other 
        rail carriers and mass transportation providers on the basis of 
        relative need, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security, on the basis of factors that the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security shall prescribe.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Mass transportation.--The term ``mass transportation'' 
        shall have the meaning given such term in section 5302 of title 
        49, United States Code.
            (2) Rail carrier.--The term ``rail carrier'' shall have the 
        meaning given such term in section 10102 of title 49, United 
        States Code.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for the grant program under this section $500,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2005 through 2009.
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