House panel reports bus and passenger rail security bill
Legislators complain that investments in bus and rail transportation security pale in comparison to investments in air transportation safety; a House panels is doing something about this imbalance
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week reported out legislation (H.R. 5808) designed to tighten security in U.S. bus and passenger rail systems. The bill, approved by voice vote, authorizes $3.4 billion in grants through Fiscal Year 2009 to public transportation agencies for capital and operational security improvements and an additional $150 million in grants specifically to safeguard buses. Proponents of the legislation said that bus and rail have been given short shrift since the 9/11 attacks and that recent attacks on commuter trains demonstrate that ground-based public transportation security concerns should be taken as seriously as aviation security. Committee chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) said: “We have a responsibility to the traveling public to work toward a safer and more secure system.”
Prior to final passage, the committee approved an amendment by Representative Tom Petri (R-Wisconsin) which would set priorities for disbursing grants based on risk.
