[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 87 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1329-E1330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE RAIL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2006

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, next month marks the first 
anniversary of the London mass transit bombings. On July 7 and, 
subsequently, July 21, Americans watched in shock as terrorists struck 
at the heart of our ally's mass transit and bus systems, killing 56 
people and injuring more than 700 others. The July 7 attack started at 
the heart of rush hour, with three bombs exploding at 8:50 a.m. on 
London's Underground subway system. Less than an hour later at 9:47 
a.m., as London's subway system was completely shut down, an explosion 
tore through the back of the number 30 Hackney to Marble Arch bus. The 
victims of these attacks were ordinary people, not that different from 
many Americans, who were going about their usual routine of commuting 
to work, school, or tourist sites.
  After the bombings, Congress called on the Administration to move 
quickly to reinforce our Nation's rail and mass transit systems to 
prevent such an attack from happening on American soil. Yet, nearly a 
year later, the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation 
Security Administration (TSA) have failed to produce a comprehensive 
strategy to secure America's rail and mass transit systems. In 
addition, the Department and TSA continue to focus almost exclusively 
on aviation security, spending $9 per air passenger, as compared to 
only one penny per rail/mass transit security passenger.
  The Department has made excuses for this failure by stating that mass 
transit security is a shared responsibility between Federal, State, and 
local partners, and that the Federal Government has provided 
significant support for the past three years. This ``partnership,'' 
however, has long left state and local governments paying the check 
without really knowing what they are paying for and why.
  The Department's failures extend beyond its ability to get along with 
state and local Governments. The Department has not actively engaged 
the private sector and frontline employees of the rail and mass transit 
systems. These men and women are the eyes and ears of these systems, 
yet the Administration has not adequately consulted with them on its 
initiatives. Nor has the Administration ensured that they are trained 
to respond to a terrorist event.
  Finally, the Federal Government has not moved forward with critical 
plans to secure our Nation's rail and mass transits. Instead, the 
Administration continues to approach the problem with piecemeal 
solutions instead of developing an overarching strategy that could be 
used to guide initiatives. Similarly, the Administration also has 
failed to devote significant resources and manpower to rail and mass 
transit research and development (R&D). Technology will play an 
important role in deterring and preventing future chemical, biological, 
or chemical attacks.
  The Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2006 will make our 
Country more secure by mandating that the Department of Homeland 
Security take concrete and decisive steps to secure our Nation's rail 
and public transportation systems. This bill requires a National Rail 
and Public Transportation Security Plan which will supplement the 
existing National Strategy for Transportation Security. This plan will 
(1) clarify roles and responsibilities of Federal, State, and local 
agencies in securing rail and public transportation systems; (2) 
strengthen intelligence sharing, (3) lay out plans for public outreach 
and education initiatives; (4) create a framework for resuming 
operations in the event of an attack; (5) include a strategy and 
timeline for research and development of new security technologies; and 
(6) describe lessons learned from past attacks.
  The bill also requires the creation of Area Rail and Public 
Transportation Security Plans. Modeled after the Area Maritime 
Transportation Security Plans required under current law for regions 
with several ports, these area plans will strengthen security planning 
in regions where there are more than one rail or public transportation 
entity, such as in the New York-New Jersey area.
  Furthermore, the bill requires Rail and Public Transportation Systems 
to submit vulnerability assessments and security plans to the 
Department for approval. Modeled after the vulnerability assessments 
and security plans that ports already have to submit under current law, 
these provisions will ensure that rail and public transportation 
systems adequately evaluate their risks and vulnerabilities and are 
taking steps to address any security weaknesses. The Secretary must 
approve or disapprove each vulnerability assessment and security plan. 
Vulnerability assessments and security plans must be reviewed and 
updated at least every five years.
  These plans will be useless unless enforced. For that reason, this 
bill gives the Secretary the authority to issue administrative and 
civil penalties for violations and to seek criminal penalties for 
knowing and intentional violations.

[[Page E1330]]

  Information and intelligence sharing must also be improved. This bill 
will fix the current problems by requiring the Department of Homeland 
Security, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, to 
issue a Rail and Public Transportation Strategic Information Sharing 
Plan to strengthen the intelligence updates provided to rail and public 
transportation systems.
  Another critical component to this bill is its provisions improving 
training and exercises. If an attack does occur in the United States, 
proper training and exercises could make the difference between life 
and death for front-line workers, first responders, and passengers. 
This bill requires rail and public transportation systems to train 
their employees on how to prevent, prepare for, and respond to a 
terrorist attack. It also establishes a Rail and Public Transportation 
Security Exercise Program to test the preparedness of rail and public 
transportation systems for a terrorist attack.
  It will cost substantial sums to implement the security measures 
needed to prevent a possible attack on U.S. rail and public 
transportation systems. This bill authorizes $400 million per year over 
the next 6 years for a grant program dedicated to rail and public 
transportation security. In addition, this bill authorizes $150 million 
over the next 3 years for advanced research and development that will 
find solutions to the security threats faced by rail and public 
transportation systems. Finally, the bill authorizes $26.4 million per 
year over the next 6 years to hire 200 new rail security inspectors per 
year. There are only 100 rail security inspectors at the present time.
  The security gap remaining in rail and public transportation is still 
a major threat to our Nation. The Rail and Public Transportation 
Security Act of 2006 will take substantial steps to close that security 
gap. I hope this Congress moves quickly to pass this bill.

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