OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Enhancing Security To Rail And Mass Transit Lines

Date: Dec. 2, 2009
Location: Washington D.C.
Issues: National Security Transportation

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, for a second consecutive year, while Americans gathered with family and friends to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, terrorists executed deadly attacks on innocent people that were in transit, on foreign rail systems.

Just last week, two separate bombings in Russia underscored that passenger rail systems remain enticing targets for acts of terrorism.

It has been nearly six months since this body overwhelmingly passed the legislation to authorize TSA's rail and mass transit security activities (H.R. 2200).

Unfortunately, to date, the Senate has failed to move on H.R. 2200.

The Senate also has yet to confirm a new TSA Assistant Secretary to fulfill the rail and mass transit security mandates that Congress overwhelmingly approved in 2007, with the passage of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act.

Plainly, there is still much to be done to secure rail and mass transit systems in the United States from bombings like the ones that occurred in Russia over the weekend, and other acts of terrorism.

In remembrance of those events, as well as the bombings of passenger rail and mass transit systems in Madrid, Spain; London, England; and Mumbai, India that occurred in recent years, H. Res. 28 instructs TSA to strengthen its efforts to secure rail and mass transit systems across the country and to build on existing programs that have shown promise.

This resolution recognizes TSA as being uniquely positioned to lead Federal efforts to secure rail and mass transit systems in the United States, and identifies the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program as an effective and valuable resource.

House passage of both the 9/11 Act in 2007 and H.R. 2200 earlier this year by overwhelming majorities has emphasized the House of Representatives' commitment to strengthening security of rail and mass transit systems.

I urge my colleagues to join with me in supporting this resolution and reaffirming our strong commitment to strengthening the security of our rail and mass transit systems.

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