[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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