Surface Transportation Security Improvement Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5131, the Surface Transportation Security Improvement Act of 2018.

Mr. Speaker, the Nation's surface transportation systems are central to Americans' daily life. Subways, buses, trains, and pipelines move millions of people and goods every day. Given their criticality, it is no surprise that terrorists have targeted these systems for attack. In recent years, attacks overseas have proven lethal, even more so, on average, than attacks against aviation. In December 2017, the threat against these systems hit home when a would-be attacker detonated a bomb within New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal subway station.

My bill, H.R. 5131, would require the Department of Homeland Security to take meaningful steps to address this emerging threat. First, it would require TSA to take a more comprehensive approach to transportation threats when it comes to assessing risk and setting strategies and priorities. Second, it would require TSA to take a hard look at integrating new technologies and security measures into mass transit and other surface transportation systems.

Importantly, H.R. 5131 also would require DHS to assess cyber threats posed by foreign technologies and to disseminate best practices for securing transportation systems against vehicle-based attacks, such as the truck attack we witnessed in New York City last October.

Finally, it would require TSA to develop a risk-based strategy for its surface inspectors and answer to Congress for its failure to issue long overdue regulations that are required by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.

Consideration of H.R. 5131 today is timely, given the cuts to surface transportation security programs proposed by the President in both the fiscal year 2018 and 2019 budgets.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure to improve surface transportation security.

In closing, as we have seen around the world, the threats to surface transportation systems are real and evolving. A major attack on any one system could be devastating and result in significant loss of life. My bill will push TSA to increase and enhance its efforts to secure these critical systems.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this. I appreciate the support from my colleague and the support from Mr. Katko.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to commend the gentlewoman from New Jersey's work on this bill and Mr. Katko, the chairman of the subcommittee.

This is obviously very important. Airports aren't the only target. We have bus transportation, we have seen those targeted in Europe; our rail centers are also targets. We have seen that in Europe, and we have seen indications of those attacks being planned here as well.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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