[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 106 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5629-H5630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SECURING PUBLIC AREAS OF TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES ACT OF 2018
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 5766) to improve the security of public areas of transportation
facilities, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5766
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 ``Securing Public Areas of
Transportation Facilities Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Public and private sector stakeholders.--The term
``public and private sector stakeholders'' has the meaning
given such term in section 114(u)(1)(C) of title 49, United
States Code.
(2) Surface transportation asset.--The term ``surface
transportation asset'' includes facilities, equipment, or
systems used to provide transportation services by--
(A) a public transportation agency (as such term is defined
in section 1402(5) of the Implementing Recommendations of the
9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53; 6 U.S.C.
1131(5)));
(B) a railroad carrier (as such term is defined in section
20102(3) of title 49, United States Code);
(C) an owner or operator of--
(i) an entity offering scheduled, fixed-route
transportation services by over-the road bus (as such term is
defined in section 1501(4) of the Implementing
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public
Law 110-53; 6 U.S.C. 1151(4))); or
(ii) a bus terminal; or
(D) other transportation facilities, equipment, or systems,
as determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. PUBLIC AREA SECURITY WORKING GROUP.
(a) Working Group.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
shall establish a working group to promote collaborative
engagement between the Department of Homeland Security and
public and private sector stakeholders to develop non-binding
recommendations for enhancing security in public areas of
transportation facilities (including facilities that are
surface transportation assets), including recommendations
regarding the following topics:
(1) Information sharing and interoperable communication
capabilities among the Department of Homeland Security and
public and private stakeholders with respect to terrorist or
other threats.
(2) Coordinated incident response procedures.
(3) The prevention of terrorist attacks and other incidents
through strategic planning, security training, exercises and
drills, law enforcement patrols, worker vetting, and
suspicious activity reporting.
(4) Infrastructure protection through effective
construction design barriers and installation of advanced
surveillance and other security technologies.
(b) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after the
establishment of the working group under subsection (a) and
annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall report to the Committee on Homeland Security
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the
working group's organization, participation, activities,
findings, and non-binding recommendations for the immediately
preceding 12-month period. The Secretary may publish a public
version of such report that describes the working group's
activities and such related matters as would be informative
to the public, consistent with section 552(b) of title 5,
United States Code.
(c) Inapplicability of the Federal Advisory Committee
Act.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)
shall not apply to the working group established under
subsection (a) or any subsidiary thereof.
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall--
(1) inform owners and operators of surface transportation
assets about the availability of technical assistance,
including vulnerability assessment tools and cybersecurity
guidelines, to help protect and enhance the resilience of
public areas of such assets; and
(2) subject to the availability of appropriations, provide
such technical assistance to requesting owners and operators
of surface transportation assets.
(b) Best Practices.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall publish on the Department of Homeland
Security's website and widely disseminate, as appropriate,
best practices for protecting and enhancing the resilience of
public areas of transportation facilities (including
facilities that are surface transportation assets), including
associated frameworks or templates for implementation. Such
best practices shall be updated periodically.
SEC. 5. REVIEW.
(a) Review.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration shall submit to the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report that includes a review
of regulations, directives, policies, and procedures issued
by the Administrator regarding the transportation of a
firearm and ammunition, and, as appropriate, information on
plans to modify any such regulation, directive, policy, or
procedure based on such review.
(b) Consultation.--In preparing the report required under
subsection (a), the Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall consult with the Aviation
Security Advisory Committee (established
[[Page H5630]]
pursuant to section 44946 of title 49, United States Code)
and appropriate public and private sector stakeholders.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Katko) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and
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. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5766, the Securing Public
Areas of Transportation Facilities Act of 2018. This legislation will
improve security coordination among transportation stakeholders by
establishing a working group between the Department of Homeland
Security and public and private stakeholders to develop recommendations
for enhancing public area security of transportation facilities.
H.R. 5766 directs that the working group focus on key areas including
information sharing, interoperable communications, incident response,
and the prevention of terrorist attacks through strategic planning and
security exercises. Taking steps to improve upon these critical
components to security preparedness and resiliency is directly
correlated to America's ability to mitigate the constantly-evolving
threat to our transportation system.
The traveling public must be secure in all modes of transportation
security, and the millions of Americans who utilize surface
transportation networks every single day to travel to work and school
rely upon strong Federal, State, local, and private sector
collaboration.
Over the last several years we have seen a marked increase in attacks
to public areas of transportation networks. From airports like LAX in
Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Istanbul, Brussels, to mass transit hubs
in New York City, London, Madrid and Belgium, we have witnessed
horrific scenes of attack in crowded public spaces of transportation
systems.
I am glad this bill seeks to improve upon the resiliency,
preparedness, and overall security infrastructure of these networks,
which are absolutely crucial to our economy and the American way of
life.
The free movement of people and goods across the United States must
never be stymied by violent extremism. That is why it is incumbent upon
those of us in Congress to ensure that Homeland Security and TSA are
doing all they can to promote effective collaboration among the litany
of stakeholders charged with securing the traveling public.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for
his focus on this important issue. I also thank the chairman of the
full committee, Mr. McCaul, for seeing this bill through the markup
process.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 5766, the Securing Public Areas of
Transportation Facilities Act of 2018.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5766 was introduced to address the growing risk of
terrorist attacks in the public areas of transportation facilities.
In recent years, there has been a growing appreciation that public
areas of airports and transportation facilities, where crowds tend to
gather, have become soft targets for terrorists. We have seen that
internationally and domestically, as there have been violent incidents
in public airport areas in Brussels, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Fort
Lauderdale. Last year, there was an attempted attack on New York City's
transit system as well.
H.R. 5766 seeks to bolster protection for the public-facing sides of
transportation systems. It does so, in part, by authorizing a working
group to streamline communication and collaboration between the
Department of Homeland Security and key stakeholders. Additionally, it
directs DHS to disseminate technical assistance to operators such as
vulnerability assessment tools and cybersecurity guidelines.
Finally, H.R. 5766 requires TSA to review its regulations, policies,
and procedures regarding the transportation of firearms and ammunition
and submit a comprehensive report to Congress on its findings and any
planned modifications. The presence of firearms and ammunition in
public areas of transportation facilities is a timely concern.
{time} 1945
In January 2017, an arriving airline passenger in Fort Lauderdale
retrieved a gun and ammunition from his checked bag and opened fire on
travelers in the baggage claim area, killing five people and injuring
six others.
In 2017 alone, TSA reported that its officers discovered 3,957
firearms at security checkpoints, 84 percent of which were loaded.
Mr. Speaker, given the prevalence and availability of guns in this
country, the very least we can do is evaluate TSA's policies for
transporting them and ensure that they are sensible and tailored to the
risk.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Rhode
Island for supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5766 is an important piece of legislation that has
strong support on both sides of the aisle. It is nice to see the
bipartisanship once again. It directs meaningful, sensible action to
help enhance the security of public-facing areas.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 5766, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, my time on the Homeland Security Committee
over the past 3\1/2\ years has been a true testament to bipartisanship:
trying to get the right things done, putting aside political
differences to keep the country as safe and secure as we possibly can.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to support the bill of my colleague from
New Jersey (Mr. Payne). I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and 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. Katko) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5766.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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