[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 12, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1387-E1388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             RAIL SECURITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 12, 2006

  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, Madrid, London, 
Mumbai. Everywhere in the world, people are aware of the threats that 
terrorism poses to mass transit systems. Everywhere, it seems, except 
for the United States.
  Everyday 11.3 million Americans use passenger rail and mass transit. 
Our Nation depends on these networks to get us to work, to school, to 
the doctor, to back home. The networks are open and far reaching and, 
like other mass transit systems around the world, exceedingly 
vulnerable to terrorist attack.
  Despite these facts, and the evidence of recent history, the 
Department of Homeland Security's transportation initiatives have been 
almost solely focused on aviation, ignoring all other modes of 
transportation.
  The President's budget request for fiscal year 2007 only allocated 
$37.2 million in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 
budget for non-aviation transportation security--less than 1 percent of 
the TSA budget.
  In addition, between fiscal years 2003 through 2006, the Department 
of Homeland Security has only distributed about $387 million for rail 
and mass transit security grants.
  These resources are not nearly enough to address the security 
vulnerabilities in the rail and mass transit networks.
  I, along with my Democratic colleagues, have been urging the 
Republican majority and the administration to focus on the threats to 
rail and mass transit for years, but no real progress has been made.
  This is very similar to the years that we spent urging action on Port 
Security, but nothing was done until the Dubai Ports business deal came 
to light.
  Unfortunately on the rail and mass transit front we have had plenty 
of warnings about security vulnerabilities.
  We have seen the tragic and horrifying attacks on rail and mass 
transit systems in Madrid, London, and now Mumbai, and yet the 
administration and the Republican leadership still have not taken any 
steps to secure our Nation's rail and mass transit systems.
  What are we waiting for? A suicide bomber on the subway system in New 
York? A dirty bomb on the DC Metro? Shouldn't we make rail and mass 
transit security a priority before we get attacked?
  Next week the Committee on Homeland Security will consider an 
authorization bill for the Department of Homeland Security, and I urge 
my Republican colleagues to support the strong rail and mass transit 
security provisions and adequate funding levels that Homeland Security 
Democrats will be offering to the bill.
  We need to require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a 
thorough national rail and public transportation plan to clarify the 
Federal, State, and local roles and responsibilities in security these 
systems.
  An emphasis must be placed on strengthening intelligence sharing, 
public outreach and education initiatives, and how to resume operations 
after an attack.
  We also must require the development of area rail and public 
transportation plans to

[[Page E1388]]

strengthen security planning in regions with more than one rail or 
public transportation entity, and to ensure the coordination of their 
security measures.
  In addition, rail and public transportation systems need to train 
their employees on how to prevent, prepare for and respond to a 
terrorist attack, and conduct exercises to test the preparedness of the 
transportation systems.
  These initiatives are critical and need to be enacted, but we must 
provide adequate resources for these programs to avoid forcing yet 
another unfunded Federal mandate on State and local governments.
  I urge my colleagues to consider these important proposals to improve 
rail and mass transit authority.
  We must not wait any longer to enact real rail and mass transit 
security measures. The safety and security of Americans depend on it.

                          ____________________