Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act

Floor Speech

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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.

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