[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 101 (Wednesday, June 18, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5502-H5506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1150) expressing the sense of the
House of Representatives that the Transportation Security
Administration should, in accordance with the congressional mandate
provided for in the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission
Act of 2007, enhance security against terrorist attack and other
security threats to our Nation's rail and mass transit lines, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1150
Whereas the Transportation Security Administration is
uniquely positioned to lead the efforts to secure our
Nation's rail and mass transit lines from the threat of
terrorism as a result of expertise developed through over
five years of securing our Nation's commercial air
transportation system;
Whereas the successes of the Transportation Security
Administration's National Explosives Detection Canine Team
Program has furthered the Transportation Security
Administration's ability to provide security against
terrorist attacks on the Nation's transportation systems by
preventing and protecting against explosives threats;
Whereas each weekday 11,300,000 passengers depend on our
Nation's mass transit lines as a means of transportation, and
mass transit lines serve as an enticing target for terrorists
as evidenced by the March 11, 2004, attack on the Madrid,
Spain, mass transit system, the July 7, 2005, attack on the
London, England, mass transit system, and the July 11, 2006,
attack on the Mumbai, India, mass transit system;
Whereas each weekday more than 25 million children depend
on our Nation's school transportation system, in addition to
mass transit systems, to get to and from school and school
activities, and the security of these systems must be
enhanced to address the threat of terrorism; and
Whereas securing our Nation's rail and mass transit lines
from terrorist attack and other security threats is essential
due to their impact on our Nation's economic stability and
the continued functioning of our national economy: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Transportation Security Administration
should--
(1) continue to enhance security against terrorist attack
and other security threats to our Nation's rail and mass
transit lines, as well as school transportation systems,
including as provided for in the Implementing Recommendations
of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53);
(2) continue development of the National Explosives
Detection Canine Team Program, which has proven to be an
effective tool in securing against explosives threats to our
Nation's rail and mass transit lines, with particular
attention to the application of its training standards and
the establishment of a reliable source of domestically-bred
canines;
(3) improve upon the success of the Online Learning Center
by providing increased person-to-person professional
development programs to ensure those responsible for securing
against terrorist attacks on our transportation systems are
highly trained in both securing against terrorist attacks and
professional relations with the traveling public; and
(4) continue to secure our Nation's mass transit and rail
lines against terrorist attack and other security threats, so
as to ensure the security of commuters on our Nation's mass
transit lines and prevent the disruption of rail lines
critical to our Nation's economy, and to give special
attention to school transportation systems by working with
school administrators, State and local law enforcement, and
other representatives in the school transportation industry
to keep children safe from terrorist attack.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Daniel E. Lungren) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
General Leave
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Mississippi?
There was no objection.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of
this measure and I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1150 was introduced earlier this year
by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee. The resolution was marked up and
adopted unanimously by the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and
Infrastructure Protection on May 1. The full committee approved it
unanimously on May 20.
I would like to congratulate Congresswoman Jackson-Lee who is both
[[Page H5503]]
the sponsor of the resolution and the subcommittee chairwoman. I
strongly believe that this legislation fits well with the work that the
committee has done on H.R. 1684, the DHS authorization bill that is
pending before the Senate. As we approach the 1-year anniversary of
H.R. 1, the Implementing the
9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007, there is much still to be
done to secure rail and mass transit systems in the United States from
the threat of terrorist attack.
Each weekday, 11.3 million passengers in 23 States use commuter heavy
or light rail. History has shown that terrorists view rail and public
transportation systems as attractive targets. In 2004, terrorist bombs
tore through Madrid's rail system, killing and maiming hundreds of
innocent commuters. Next month, of course, marks the third anniversary
of the terrorist bombings of London's public transportation system. And
just in the last 2 years, transportation systems in Mumbai, India, were
attacked twice.
Since the 9/11 attacks, there has been justifiable attention paid to
enhancing aviation security. However, the security needs for rail and
public transportation have, at the same time, been largely neglected.
Last year, we took steps toward ending the secondary status by passing
H.R. 1. H.R. 1, now Public Law 110-53, includes wide-range surface
transportation security provisions and authorizes $3.5 billion for
transit security and $2 billion for rail security.
The legislation before us today, House Resolution 1150, renews the
call for TSA to enhance security against terrorist attack and other
security threats to our Nation's rail and mass transit lines.
Specifically, it instructs TSA to strengthen security efforts towards
rail lines, mass transit lines, and school transportation systems
across the country. It also directs TSA to build on successful programs
such as its canine detection and online learning programs, to expand
the program's reach and to further strengthen transportation security
across the country. TSA is uniquely positioned to be a leader in
securing rail and mass transit systems from the threat of terrorism
because of its experience in protecting commercial aviation.
Finally, I would note that House Resolution 1150 includes language
authored by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) that
gives appropriate consideration to the security needs of school
transportation systems. This resolution continues the effort by the
Committee on Homeland Security to raise rail and mass transit security
to the prominence it deserves. I urge my colleagues to support House
Resolution 1150.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support
of House Resolution 1150 and yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as the chairman has said, we have worked, and the
executive branch has worked, to enhance the security of this Nation
since the terrible episode of 9/11. However, I think it would not
surprise people to understand that we put primary focus on aviation
safety since that was the means, that is aviation, that was utilized by
the terrorists on 9/11.
We have done a good job with it. A couple of years ago, we passed the
SAFE Port Act, which I think gave tremendous enhancement to the
security measures that are utilized in our ports. This resolution
recognizes that we need to do more in the area of rail and mass
transit. I do not view that at as a criticism of anybody. Rather, I
view that as a call to arms, so to speak, an urgency imprinted on the
concern that we have in this area of potential vulnerability.
I would particularly point to the part of the resolution that states
that TSA should continue to develop the National Explosives Detection
Canine Team Program and to utilize it with respect to our Nation's rail
and mass transit line. One of the things that I think we have realized,
on both sides of the aisle, is the tremendous capabilities of canines
and the application of canine teams in a number of different areas of
security in a number of different transportation modes.
I would say that I would hope that at some point in time, we might
also be able to bring to the floor legislation dealing with the
trucking industry. There is bipartisan commitment to do that. The
gentleman from Mississippi has had a bill that a number of us have
worked on, along with the gentlelady from Texas and others, that would
enhance the security nature of our trucking system and would, at the
same time, make careful distinctions between security-sensitive
materials and otherwise hazardous materials. And that distinction would
therefore not disadvantage certain drivers in the United States that
otherwise might be prohibited from being able to drive hazardous
material that is not security sensitive. I know the gentleman from
Mississippi and the gentlelady from Texas are committed to that. I hope
that we might be able to see some progress on that in the future as
well.
Again, I think this resolution is worthy of support by all in this
Chamber.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I would reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure the
gentleman that he will see some progress on the trucking legislation in
the not-too-distant future.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from
Texas, the author of the resolution, Ms. Jackson-Lee.
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me thank the chairman of the full
committee for his leadership and the consistency of the methodical
pathway to securing America. That is what we are doing here today. I
want to acknowledge the ranking member of the committee and my ranking
member, Mr. Lungren of California, because we have worked together as a
committee to focus on a number of issues, including chemical security
and an overview of infrastructure protection and now this legislation.
{time} 1200
I also think it is important to note that we have committed, as the
chairman has indicated, that we will look at the security measures
needed for the trucking industry.
But we should get a sense of the roadmap that is being created here
on the floor today. And as we look at the bills that we have discussed,
each one of them are building blocks toward the response to the 9/11
families, who, day after day after 9/11 told this Congress to get its
act together, starting first, of course, with the bill of Congresswoman
Clarke that emphasizes that if we have a watch list, that watch list
should be a watch list that is both accurate and secure, and that hard
working Americans have to have their civil liberties protected, so if
they are on the list by mistake we must avoid or find a process of
appeal for the mistakes that are being made.
Then, of course, I think it is noteworthy, as the chairman brought
forward his bill on biometric, that we found incidences in Chicago
where these cards that are being used by airport employees were
fraudulently produced and large numbers of them found, a cache of them
found in the hands of employees, so that people who are not
credentialed can get on the airport surface because of this
fraudulence. So this biometric study is extremely important.
Having just come back from Boston Logan Airport, we also note that
the bill by Congresswoman Lowey is very important, so that we are on
our toes about ensuring that those who are working at these airports
are not tipped off about testing or having them go through security, so
that the four corners of airports are secure.
Now we come full circle, and this legislation, H. Res. 1150, goes
back again to the heart of the purpose of the 9/11 Commission. It was a
holistic approach to security, for we have seen the tragedy of being
lax on airport security.
And I might imagine that those of you who are visiting the United
States Congress who might have taken airplanes have gone through
security, and it might have been a crowded line. But you are adhering
to the rules because you know that we are working together to secure
the homeland.
But the homeland is more than just aviation. It is also rail. And
this legislation is part of the approach that the Homeland Security
Committee is taking, and seriously taking, as its responsibilities of
oversight.
Each weekday, 11,300,000 passengers depend on our Nation's mass
transit
[[Page H5504]]
lines as a means of transportation. Our Nation's mass transit lines
serve as a target for terrorist attacks, as evidenced by the March 11,
2004, attack on the Madrid, Spain, mass transit system; the July 7,
2005, attack on the London, England, mass transit system; and the July
11, 2006, attack on the Mumbai, India, mass transit system.
These systems are vulnerable, and the TSA Administration through the
development of its National Explosive Detection Canine Team Program
furthered its ability to provide security against terrorist attacks on
the Nation's transportation systems by preventing and protecting our
explosive threats.
However, it is important for the administration and the
Transportation Security Administration to be reminded of the Nation's
rail and mass transit lines, that they should remain secure from
terrorist attack, as they are critical in the functioning of our
Nation's economy and they serve as a means of transportation on a daily
basis for millions of hard working Americans.
So this legislation is a wake-up call. It is in fact to remind the
administration that we have to do more work on transportation security
inasmuch as we have seen done by others.
In 1995, the Irish Republican Army waged a long-running terrorist
campaign against the London Underground.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California). The time
of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. I yield an additional minute to the
gentlewoman.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Texas is recognized for
1 additional minute.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Palestinian terrorists have carried out
suicide bombings on Israeli buses. And so this legislation is to
emphasize again that attacks on mass transit are possible and therefore
we should look seriously at providing the security necessary.
Just recently I held a field hearing in New York to look at the ways
of the New York transit system and how they were securing their
particular system, one of the largest in the Nation. We learned that
the National Explosive Detection Canine Team Program was very
important, and therefore we want the TSA to continue that. We need TSA
to continue to develop training programs for frontline workers and
fulfill the other mandates Congress put in place in the 9/11 bill to
increase security on rail and mass transit. This resolution is to
provide that roadmap and to emphasize to TSA how important mass transit
security is.
Might I just conclude by suggesting as my colleagues have discussed
this whole question of energy, just think about a secure mass transit
that will allow us to engage in a transit system that actually works.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. I yield 1 additional minute to the
gentlewoman.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Texas is recognized for
1 additional minute.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished chairman.
A secure mass transit will encourage more Americans to utilize our
transit and our transportation system that is a public transit system.
That is what those of us on this side of the aisle believe, a green
economy, conservation, efficiency. And coming from Texas I would say to
my good friend from California, we have happily lived with safe and
secure and environmentally safe drilling and we encourage our very
strong companies to continue to do so. But, at the same time, the word
``energy'' is a broad term. Green energy, efficiency, conservation.
That is what this Congress has to preach to the American public, and
safe and secure mass transit, of which all of these legislative
initiatives are planning to do.
I would ask my colleagues in particular to support the legislation
presently under consideration dealing with the mass transit resolution
and all the other bills that have been able to come forward out of
Homeland Security and under the Subcommittee on Transportation Security
and Infrastructure Protection.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H. Res.
1150, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the
Transportation Security Administration should, in accordance with the
congressional mandate provided for in the Implementing Recommendations
of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, enhance security against terrorist
attack and other security threats to our Nation's rail and mass transit
lines, introduced by myself. I rise today to offer this Resolution
regarding the role of the Transportation Security Administration in
securing our Nation's rail and mass transit lines.
This Resolution reaffirms the congressional mandate provided for in
the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007
that the Transportation Security Administration enhance security
against terrorist attack and other security threats to our Nation's
rail and mass transit lines. I am pleased to have Homeland Security
Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, as an original cosponsor of this
resolution. Chairman Thompson has been a leader in our efforts to
secure against terrorist threats to our Nation's rail and mass transit
lines.
Madam Speaker, each weekday 11,300,000 passengers depend on our
Nation's mass transit lines as a means of transportation. Our Nation's
mass transit lines serve as a target for terrorist attack as evidenced
by the March 11, 2004, attack on the Madrid, Spain, mass transit
system, the July 7, 2005, attack on the London, England, mass transit
system, and the July 11, 2006, attack on the Mumbai, India, mass
transit system. The Transportation Security Administration has, through
the development of its National Explosives Detection Canine Team
Program furthered its ability to provide security against terrorist
attacks on the Nation's transportation systems by preventing and
protecting against explosives threats.
It is imperative that our Nation's rail and mass transit lines remain
secure from terrorist attack as they are critical to the functioning of
our Nation's economy and serve as a means of transportation on a daily
basis for millions of hard working Americans. Successful attacks
against rail and mass transit targets have been carried out worldwide
by terrorist looking to create havoc, economic harm, and kill innocent
people.
Throughout the world, mass transit systems have long been targets of
terrorist attacks. Algerian extremists set off bombs on the subways of
Paris in 1995 and 1996; the Irish Republican Army waged a long-running
terrorist campaign against the London Underground; Palestinian
terrorists have carried out suicide bombings on Israel's buses;
Chechnyan terrorists killed 40 people by bombing the Moscow subway in
2004; and, in the first terrorist use of a chemical weapon, a Japanese
cult--Aum Shinrykyo--released sarin gas on a Tokyo subway in 1995.
Recent events make it clear that the threat continues. On the morning
of March 11, 2004, ten explosions occurred at the height of the Madrid
rush hour aboard four commuter trains. On July 7, 2005, during the
morning peak travel hours, three separate explosions ripped through the
London Underground and a fourth explosion occurred on a double-decker
bus. These four explosions, the result of coordinated suicide-bombings
by British-born Islamic extremists, claimed the lives of 56 people and
seriously injured hundreds more. Two weeks later, on July 21, 2005,
another group of terrorists unsuccessfully attempted to attack London's
mass transit system again. On July 11, 2006 a series of seven bomb
blasts against the Suburban Railway in Mumbai, formerly known as
Bombay, capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and India's
financial capital resulted in 207 lost lives and over 700 injured.
The recent attacks serve as a harsh reminder of mass transit and rail
security vulnerabilities. Both mass transit and rail systems are public
and used by millions of people daily. Because of their size, openness,
and highly-networked character, there are no obvious checkpoints, like
those at airports, to inspect passengers and parcels. Passengers are
strangers, promising attackers anonymity and easy escape.
And attacks on mass transit--the circulatory systems of urban areas--
can cause widespread fear, severely disrupt economic activity, kill or
injure large numbers of people, and alter our way of life. An attack on
our freight rail, either the material being transported, such as
hazardous materials, or vital commodities, or merely the system itself,
could severely impact our national economy.
As a result, both mass transit and rail systems are attractive
targets. Since September 11, 2001, according to the Memorial Institute
for the Prevention of Terrorism, mass transit systems have been the
target of more than 145 terrorist attacks.
Due to their existence in high-population, high-risk urban areas,
mass transit systems are also inevitably affected by any terrorist
attack that may occur within that jurisdiction--regardless of whether
the transit system was the
[[Page H5505]]
target of the attack. For example, during September 11, 2001, two of
New York City's busiest transit stations were lost and considerable
damage occurred to the tunnel structures, endangering hundreds of lives
underground. Great care was required to evacuate passengers, locate and
rescue trapped transit cars, and communicate instructions. The damage
in New York City was so great that in the immediate aftermath of 9/11,
Congress appropriated $1.8 billion to rebuild the subway infrastructure
that was damaged in the attacks. I am hopeful that through this
legislation we can prevent such attacks rather than face the tragic
consequences of 9/11 again.
I refuse to sit idly by and allow another 9/11 or Madrid, London, or
Mumbai bombing to disrupt our Nation and its critical infrastructure--
it is with that conviction that I seek to address these issues. The
recent world events should serve as a wake-up call that we must do more
to secure our transportation systems and we must act quickly and
responsibly. I firmly believe that the legislation before us today will
take an important step in securing our transportation systems.
Pursuant to the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001,
ATSA, the Transportation Security Administration, TSA, is responsible
for the security of all modes of transportation including rail and mass
transit. TSA, however, has focused the majority of its resources and
assets on aviation security in the past five years. I could go on with
other examples, but what these instances show is that clearly it is
imperative that TSA value rail and mass transit security on equal
footing with aviation security. We are satisfied with the progress that
TSA has made with the National Explosion Detection Team Program, but
more is needed to train frontline employees.
Congress, recognizing TSA's lack of progress in developing a security
strategy for all modes of transportation, mandated the development of a
National Strategy for Transportation Security in the Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, 9/11 Act. This strategy,
although due April 1, 2005, was not finalized by TSA until September
2005. Moreover, the document provided by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) did not meet the requirements set out by Congress,
especially with regards to rail and mass transit security. Furthermore,
subsequent congressionally mandated updates were also not met by TSA,
resulting in the 9/11 Discourse Project giving the TSA a C- for its
efforts.
TSA's failure to assume a leadership position on surface
transportation security is plainly evident. It is time that we take
action and leadership to help protect the more than 11.3 million
passengers in 35 metropolitan areas and 22 states who use commuter,
heavy, or light rail each weekday. There must be substantial penalties
for those who do not follow the security plans, vulnerability
assessments, and regulations set out in this legislation.
H. Res. 1150 is a straightforward resolution, but a very important
one. Recognizing that TSA is the lead agency for transportation
security, and all of the hard work Congress did last year to make rail
and mass transit security programs more robust in the enactment of the
9/11 bill, we must continue to push TSA to fulfill the mandates for
rail and mass transit security required by Congress.
Last month, the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and
Infrastructure Protection, which I have the privilege of chairing, held
a field hearing in New York City on efforts to secure rail and mass
transit. It was a truly edifying experience. We learned much about what
is being done to secure the New York Transit system and other systems
across the Nation, and what TSA can do in its leadership role at the
federal level, to facilitate these efforts. I want to commend TSA on
its progress with the National Explosives Detection Canine Team
Program, since most successful attacks on rail and mass transit are
carried out using IEDs. However, we need TSA to continue to develop
training programs for frontline workers, and fulfill the other mandates
Congress put in place in the 9/11 bill to increase security on rail and
mass transit.
TSA should reinvigorate their efforts to fulfill the mandates of the
9/11 bill. TSA has not submitted to the Committee on Homeland Security
the National Strategy for Public Transportation Security which was
mandated by the 9/11 bill, along with other deadlines including
training regulations for frontline workers. TSA must submit this to
both comply with the law and more importantly to protect Americans.
I find it completely appalling that this Administration seems to be
unwilling to act on rail and mass transit security until we are faced
with another disaster. I shudder to think that if the Washington, DC or
New York subway systems were attacked, and mass casualties resulted,
that we would be thinking that more could have been done to prevent
such a tragedy. We will be desperately trying to figure out how to
prepare for a disaster that has already happened and holding hearing
after hearing to find out where we dropped the ball. The time to
prepare is now, and I am committed to securing our Nation's rail and
mass transit system expeditiously. We have been blessed thus far that
our rail and public transportation systems have not been attacked. We
should make our best efforts to ensure that we do not overlook this
blessing.
From the terrorist attacks that have occurred around the world, we
know that terrorists will target our rail and public transportation
systems. Despite this admonition, the agency created and funded by
Congress to address the issue of transportation security has
consistently dropped the ball when it comes to rail and public
transportation. We cannot let the lessons of Madrid, London, and Mumbai
go unheeded. For the sake of the millions of Americans who use our rail
and mass transit systems everyday to go to work, school, and visit
friends and family, we have to take charge on this security risk.
We owe it to the public to safeguard the modes of transportation that
allow them to carry on with their lives and drive this economy.
Millions of men and women ride our Nation's rail and public
transportation systems everyday; we owe it to them to ensure that they
can do so safely and securely. I hope that through today's hearing and
our continued efforts on the issue of rail and mass transit security,
we can resolve the asymmetric way in which we treat aviation versus
rail security and resolve the substantial threat posed by inadequate
security on our rail and mass transit system.
I want to thank my colleagues for all of their hard work and
dedication to these important issues.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge), who has a real interest
in broadening the scope of this study.
Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Mississippi
for yielding.
I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I thank the
gentlewoman from Texas for introducing this important piece of
legislation.
As has been indicated, every day over 36 million people travel on
forms of mass transit or public transportation in this country. More
than 11 million commuters use rail and mass transit, while over twice
this number, more than 25 million, use public or private school buses
to travel to and from their schools.
As a former superintendent of schools of the State of North Carolina,
I know how important these systems are to delivering our most precious
cargo, our school children, to and from school safely and securely.
Just as we have a responsibility to ensure the public can travel on
rail and mass transit confident of their safety, we have an equal
responsibility to make sure that our school bus routes are secure.
I thank Congresswoman Jackson-Lee for her hard work, Chairman
Thompson for working with me to include this piece of legislation in
this resolution, and I want to thank Ranking Member King for his help
also.
School buses have been targets for terrorists not only in countries
such as Israel, Thailand, Yemen and African countries, but also Canada
and the United States. Last year, the FBI warned that members of
extremist groups have purchased school buses and obtained licenses to
operate them.
An attack on a school bus would be devastating, not only in lives
harmed, but also the psychological and symbolic impact. We owe our
children and their families no less than that we will be able to
confidently say that their transportation is secure.
Earlier this year in a 9/11 bill, Congress required TSA to conduct a
comprehensive risk assessment on school transportation. They are making
progress on this goal. We need to make sure that this assessment is
completed on time and that it is followed with efforts to keep our
children safe as they travel to and from school activities.
The provisions of this resolution shows that Congress is serious
about providing that confidence for rail, for mass transit, as well as
for school transportation. I urge my colleagues to join me in support
of H.R. 1150.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers.
If the gentleman from California has no more speakers, I am prepared to
close after the gentleman closes.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself
such time as I may consume to close.
Madam Speaker, I rise again in support of H. Res. 1150, expressing
the
[[Page H5506]]
sense of the House of Representatives that TSA should in accordance
with the congressional mandate provided for in implementing
recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, enhance security
against terrorist attack and other security threats to our Nation's
rail and mass transit lines.
I think we have already spoken about why this is important, why we
need to move in this area, as we have moved in effectively in the areas
of aviation safety and port and marine safety. We cannot leave out any
element of our overall programs. And I thank the gentleman from
Mississippi, the chairman, for informing me that we should expect to
see some action on legislation dealing with the trucking industry, a
goal that he and I share.
Madam Speaker, as I have reflected on much of the rail industry, I
have noticed that they are powered oftentimes by diesel engines. As I
have reflected on mass transit in most of our intercity and intercity
communities where we are dealing with buses, I have noted that they
have been powered by diesel. In some cases for environmental purposes
we have encouraged the use of natural gas.
That is why, Madam Speaker, it is disappointing to see that we have
made it more difficult and more expensive for those who operate those
buses and operate those trains to continue to operate because of the
increasingly high energy costs. I have been informed that my home State
of California has a substantial portion of its electricity that is
produced by way of natural gas. So when we talk about the need, the
demand, it seems to me we should also look at the supply side equation
as well.
Not even talking about offshore potential for oil and gas, we should
look at onshore oil and gas and the potential for creating more
product, American product, for these mass transit systems that we are
talking about here today with this bill.
So, if we would just look at total onshore oil and gas, not including
oil shale, we would find this: Onshore Federal lands contain an
estimated 31 billion barrels of oil and 231 trillion cubic feet of
natural gas. I am not misstating that. That is 31 billion barrels of
oil and 231 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, those figures according
to the Bureau of Land Management. The Federal Government currently
denies or restricts by way of congressional mandate, denies or
restricts access to 92 percent of this oil and 90 percent of this
natural gas.
In other words, we are saying to the American people who want to use
these mass transit systems as well as use their own automobiles, that
the very source that provides the energy for those modes of
transportation, that is oil and natural gas, we are going to deny 28.5
billion barrels of the oil and 207.9 trillion cubic feet of this
natural gas.
Now, it is beyond the scope of this bill perhaps to talk about
heating. We are going to be in winter, even though it seems difficult
in some of these sweltering summer days or pre-summer days to think
about that, but we will be in winter when we are talking about the
heating needs of the American people, and we should look at the price
of natural gas, as it is going up and on up and up, as are our gas
prices.
Only 8 percent, that is 2.48 billion barrels of the oil out of the
potential 31 billion barrels of oil, and 10 percent of the natural gas,
23.1 trillion cubic feet of the 231 trillion cubic feet of natural gas,
are accessible under standard leasing terms.
So what we have done to the American people by way of congressional
action is say that we are only going to allow you to have access to 8
percent of the oil and 10 percent of the natural gas. Or another way of
saying it is we are going to lock up 92 percent of the oil and 90
percent of the natural gas, even though you are desperate in terms of
the impact of energy price increases on your everyday living.
{time} 1215
It's not just at the gas pump, it is as it trickles through or
ripples through the entire economy. Every bit of food that we buy today
is transported from somewhere else, so the costs of transportation are
going to be included in the cost of food to the American people. As we
talk to the need for us to enhance our security against terrorist
attack and other security threats to our rail and mass transit lines,
let's understand the national security implications of denying those
very lines, rail and mass transit lines, the energy that they need to
move.
Again, I support H. Res. 1150 as a bipartisan product of the Homeland
Security Committee, which, I think we can proudly say, works on a
bipartisan basis.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much
time as I may consume.
House Resolution 1150 sends the right message at the right time. It
reminds TSA of the House's continued interest in seeing progress on
securing our rail and mass transit systems.
Last year we took steps towards that goal by passing H.R. 1
legislation, that I was proud to author. That landmark Homeland
Security law took a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges
of securing rail and mass transit, viewing it as a critical
infrastructure that is essential to effective operations of our
national economy.
Incidentally, with gas over $4 a gallon, America's reliance on these
systems is only going to increase. Today I am proud to stand here and
renew the call for meaningful progress and urge passage of H. Res.
1150.
Madam Speaker, I urge passage of the resolution, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1150, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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