[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 145 (Monday, September 26, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5878-H5879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRANSIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY ACT
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5943) to amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11
Commission Act of 2007 to clarify certain allowable uses of funds for
public transportation security assistance grants and establish periods
of performance for such grants, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5943
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 ``Transit Security Grant
Program Flexibility Act''.
SEC. 2. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SECURITY ASSISTANCE GRANTS.
Subparagraph (A) of section 1406(b)(2) of the Implementing
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C.
1135(b)(2); Public Law 110-53) is amended by inserting ``and
associated backfill'' after ``security training''.
SEC. 3. PERIODS OF PERFORMANCE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SECURITY ASSISTANCE GRANTS.
Section 1406 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/
11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1135; Public Law 110-53)
is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (l) the following new
subsection:
``(m) Periods of Performance.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
funds provided pursuant to a grant awarded under this section
for a use specified in subsection (b) shall remain available
for use by a grant recipient for a period of not fewer than
36 months.
``(2) Exception.--Funds provided pursuant to a grant
awarded under this section for a use specified in
subparagraph (M) or (N) of subsection (b)(1) shall remain
available for use by a grant recipient for a period of not
fewer than 55 months.''.
SEC. 4. GAO REVIEW.
(a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a review of the transit security grant
program under section 1406 of the Implementing
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C.
1135; Public Law 110-53).
(b) Scope.--The review required under paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(1) An assessment of the type of projects funded under the
transit security grant program.
(2) An assessment of the manner in which such projects
address threats to transportation infrastructure.
(3) An assessment of the impact, if any, of this Act
(including the amendments made by this Act) on types of
projects funded under the transit security grant program.
(4) An assessment of the management and administration of
transit security grant program funds by grantees.
(5) Recommendations to improve the manner in which transit
security grant program funds address vulnerabilities in
transportation infrastructure.
(6) Recommendations to improve the management and
administration of the transit security grant program.
(c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act and again not later than five years
after such date of enactment, the Comptroller General shall
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the review
required under this section.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Donovan) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
We know that terrorists have an interest in and a track record of
targeting mass transit. We saw it in London, Madrid, and Brussels, and
recently, again, when a terrorist left a backpack of IEDs at a train
station in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We must ensure that our first
responders and transit agencies have the tools they need to secure our
transit systems.
That is why I introduced H.R. 5943, the Transit Security Grant
Program Flexibility Act. This bill addresses concerns that were raised
during a June 21 field hearing that the Subcommittee on Emergency
Preparedness, Response, and Communications held in Ranking Member
Payne's district on preparedness for incidents that impact surface
transportation. As chairman of the subcommittee, I introduced this
legislation to ensure action follows our subcommittee's oversight.
Witnesses at this field hearing testified about the importance of the
Transit Security Grant Program but found that the period of performance
was a challenging time frame to meet, especially for completing vital,
large-scale capital security projects. H.R. 5943 addresses this
challenge by codifying the period of performance for Transit Security
Grant Program awards at 36 months for the majority of eligible projects
and by extending the period of performance for large-scale capital
security projects to 55 months. Additionally, Transit Security Grant
Program awards can be used to provide personnel with security training.
Unfortunately, the recipients of these awards are not allowed to use
Transit Security Grant Program funds to pay for backfilling personnel
who attend such training. In some cases, that extra cost at the transit
agency has resulted in an inability to send staff for security
training. My bill will permit Transit Security Grant Program funds to
be used for this purpose, which is consistent with other Homeland
Security grant programs.
With more than 10 billion riders using surface transportation
annually, it is vital that the Transit Security Grant Program provide
flexible solutions for grant recipients. I am proud to sponsor this
bipartisan legislation, which passed out of the Committee on Homeland
Security earlier this month. I urge all Members to join me in
supporting H.R. 5943.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 5943, the Transit Security Grant Program
Flexibility Act.
Following the March 2016 attacks on mass transit facilities in
Brussels, the Committee on Homeland Security's Emergency Preparedness,
Response, and Communications Subcommittee held a hearing in my district
at New Jersey City University to learn more about efforts to secure
mass transit domestically. The subcommittee heard from Amtrak, New
Jersey Transit, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and MTA
about what they are doing to keep passengers safe and how the Federal
Government can help.
Witnesses lamented the drastic reduction in Transit Security Grant
funding from upwards of $385 million in 2008 to only $100 million in
2016. Unfortunately, in the current fiscal environment, prospects for
restoring this critical funding are not great. Witnesses also testified
that the 36-month period of performance limits the ability of transit
owners to invest in important security-hardening projects that cannot
be completed within that window of time. Fortunately, we can address
that problem.
H.R. 5943 is a bipartisan bill that would extend the period of
performance for transit grant activities that are related to
infrastructure hardening to 55 months and would give grantees the
flexibility to use the grant money for expenses that are related to
covering the costs of staffing backfill for when responders are sent to
security training.
The threats to our transit infrastructure are real, Mr. Speaker. Two
weeks ago, we had a close call outside a train station in Elizabeth,
New Jersey, when a backpack containing a bomb was discovered by two
citizens. Fortunately, they notified law enforcement; and although
there was an explosion, no one was injured. Police found four other
devices in the vicinity. H.R. 5943 will help transit owners and
operators better address the threats to our critical transportation
systems. As such, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this
legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H5879]]
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5943 was unanimously approved by the
committee on Homeland Security on September 13. It recognizes that
Transit Security Grant Program grantees can spend their money better
and smarter when they have the time necessary to do so.
I congratulate my colleague, Mr. Donovan, on this legislation, and I
urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 5943.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 5943.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5943, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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