Rail And Public Transportation Security Act Of 2007
Floor Speech
RAIL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - March 27, 2007)
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Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member King and Chairwoman Jackson-Lee for their vigilance on this issue.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007, H.R. 1401. In the past, Congress has passed laws to improve air and maritime security. With this bill, Congress is finally taking the very important step of securing America's vast ground transportation systems.
It is particularly important for my home city of New York, which has spent far more of its own treasury than any other city on securing its citizens. Along with providing much-needed funding for security improvements to mass transit, bridges and tunnels, this bill will also help fund police and coun ter ter ror ism task forces to patrol the areas and react to emergencies.
Further, this bill provides $100 million over the next 4 years to bring about long-anticipated safety and security renovations at Penn Station, which sees thousands of New Yorkers and tourists from across America each day.
I am particularly proud of the language included in the bill that ensures labor unions will play an integral role in the solution. Unions will now be eligible to receive a portion of the grant funding, allowing them to work hand-in-hand with transportation carriers on how to improve the safety of the workers and passengers alike.
Also, for some time, many local governments and agencies have been concerned about their lack of involvement with the Federal side of the transportation security process. For years, Federal security inspectors have refused to consult with transit agencies about how best to patrol their facilities. This new bill will force DHS and DOT to work together with State and local governments when deciding how the Federal Government will interact with local agencies.
H.R. 1401, the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007, is an excellent bill that will revolutionize transportation security in America, and I wholeheartedly recommend that my colleagues join me in voting ``yes'' for this bill.
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