[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 67 (Monday, April 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H1905-H1906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRANSIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY ACT

  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 396) 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 396

       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 public transportation 
     security assistance 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 
     public transportation security grant program referred to in 
     such paragraph.
       (2) An assessment of the manner in which such projects 
     address threats to public 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 public transportation security 
     assistance grant program.
       (4) An assessment of the management and administration of 
     public transportation security assistance grant program funds 
     by grantees.
       (5) Recommendations to improve the manner in which public 
     transportation security assistance grant program funds 
     address vulnerabilities in public transportation 
     infrastructure.
       (6) Recommendations to improve the management and 
     administration of the public transportation security 
     assistance 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 of the 
     United States 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.

     SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the House of 
     Representatives, provided that such statement has been 
     submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Torres) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres).


                             General Leave

  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative

[[Page H1906]]

days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous 
material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 396, the 
Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act.
  This legislation, as introduced by my colleague from New York (Mr. 
Garbarino), seeks to make commonsense adjustments to a DHS grant 
program that helps keep my constituents safe.
  H.R. 396 requires technical changes to the Transit Security Grant 
Program to allow grant funding to be used for backfill staffing when 
associated with security training and give transit authorities more 
time to expend grant funds on security improvements for public 
transportation systems or infrastructure.
  Our transit systems are absolutely vital to daily travel and 
commerce. According to U.S. Census figures, 56 percent of all New 
Yorkers rely on public transportation. In New York City, over 5 million 
people depend on our trains and subways on a normal workday.
  Under the TSGP, New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority 
received about $20 million in fiscal year 2020 to protect riders from 
acts of terrorism and other targeted violence.
  H.R. 396 is informed by feedback from grantees about challenges with 
the program over the years, and it is intended to ensure that the 
Transit Security Grant Program remains current, and that funding 
reaches maximum impact.
  Enactment of this bill will help improve a key DHS grant program and 
better secure our Nation's transportation infrastructure.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GARBARINO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 396, the Transit 
Security Grant Program Flexibility Act.
  Whether it is bus systems, ferries, or passenger rail, the Transit 
Security Grant Program provides needed funds to transit agencies to 
protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the 
traveling public from acts of terrorism.
  Unfortunately, we have already witnessed multiple attacks across the 
globe: the 2005 bombing of the Tube in London, the 2016 metro station 
bombing in Brussels, and the 2017 New York Port Authority bombing.
  With billions of riders using surface transportation annually, and 
limited security screening, it should come as no surprise that surface 
transportation has been and continues to be a terror target. As such, 
we must ensure that first responders and transit agencies have the 
tools needed to secure our transit system.
  The Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act seeks to address 
challenges associated with fluctuating periods of performance by 
codifying the period of performance at 36 months for the majority of 
eligible projects and extending it to 55 months for vital large-scale 
capital security projects. This ensures that these major projects can 
be successfully completed in the allotted time.
  Additionally, while Transit Security Grant Program awards can be used 
to provide personnel with essential security training, recipients of 
awards are not currently permitted to use the grant program funds to 
pay for backfilling personnel attending such training. This may, in 
turn, inhibit some transit agencies from sending their staff to vital 
security training.
  H.R. 396 will permit Transit Security Grant Program funds to be used 
for this purpose, consistent with other Homeland Security grant 
programs.
  Given the evolving threat landscape, and the continued calls from 
extremist groups for lone-wolf attacks to target crowded areas, it is 
imperative that the Transit Security Grant Program provide flexible 
solutions for grant recipients in order to protect these soft targets 
and keep everyday commuters safe.
  I am proud to continue the great work of former New York Members Dan 
Donovan and Peter King in introducing this important piece of 
legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 396, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, New York City has the largest 
public transit system in the country, and New York City has the 
greatest vulnerability to terrorism.
  I thank my colleague, Congressman Garbarino, for his leadership in 
advocating for transportation systems across the country.
  H.R. 396 is a measure that this country needs. I believe all of us in 
this body can agree that securing America's transit systems is critical 
to homeland security, and so too must we invest to make and keep it 
safe.
  Enactment of H.R. 396 would bolster the security of what, in the view 
of my constituents, is about as critical as critical infrastructure 
gets and protect these systems and their riders against terrorist 
attacks and targeted violence.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 396, 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. Torres) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 396.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BIGGS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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