[Pages H1673-H1675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

STRENGTHENING LOCAL TRANSPORTATION SECURITY CAPABILITIES ACT OF 2018

Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 5089) to improve threat information sharing, integrated
operations, and law enforcement training for transportation security,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 5089

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Local
Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Public and private sector stakeholders.--The term
``public and private sector stakeholders'' has the meaning
given such term in section 114(u)(1)(C) of title 49, United
States Code.
(2) Surface transportation asset.--The term ``surface
transportation asset'' includes facilities, equipment, or
systems used to provide transportation services by--
(A) a public transportation agency (as such term is defined
in section 1402(5) of the Implementing Recommendations of the
9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53; 6 U.S.C.
1131(5)));
(B) a railroad carrier (as such term is defined in section
20102(3) of title 49, United States Code);
(C) an owner or operator of--
(i) an entity offering scheduled, fixed-route
transportation services by over-the-road bus (as such term is
defined in section 1501(4) of the Implementing
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public
Law 110-53; 6 U.S.C. 1151(4))); or
(ii) a bus terminal; or
(D) other transportation facilities, equipment, or systems,
as determined by the Secretary.
(3) Transportation facility.--The term ``transportation
facility'' means a bus terminal, intercity or commuter
passenger rail station, airport, multi-modal transportation
center, or other transportation facility, as determined by
the Secretary of Homeland Security.

SEC. 3. THREAT INFORMATION SHARING.

(a) Prioritization.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
shall prioritize the assignment of officers and intelligence
analysts under section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h) from the Transportation Security
Administration and, as appropriate, from the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland
Security, to locations with participating State, local, and
regional fusion centers in jurisdictions with a high-risk
surface transportation asset in order to enhance the security
of such assets, including by improving timely sharing of
classified information regarding terrorist and other threats.
(b) Intelligence Products.--Officers and intelligence
analysts assigned to locations with participating State,
local, and regional fusion centers under this section shall
participate in the generation and dissemination of
transportation security intelligence products, with an
emphasis on terrorist and other threats to surface
transportation assets that--
(1) assist State, local, and tribal law enforcement
agencies in deploying their resources, including personnel,
most efficiently to help detect, prevent, investigate,
apprehend, and respond to terrorist and other threats;
(2) promote more consistent and timely sharing of threat
information among jurisdictions; and
(3) enhance the Department of Homeland Security's
situational awareness of such terrorist and other threats.
(c) Clearances.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
make available to appropriate owners and operators of surface
transportation assets, and any other person that the
Secretary determines appropriate to foster greater sharing of
classified information relating to terrorist and other
threats to surface transportation assets, the process of
application for security clearances under Executive Order
13549 (75 Fed. Reg. 162; relating to a classified national
security information program) or any successor Executive
order.

SEC. 4. INTEGRATED AND UNIFIED OPERATIONS CENTERS.

(a) Framework.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with
the heads of other appropriate offices or components of the
Department of Homeland Security, shall make available to
public and private sector stakeholders a framework for
establishing an integrated and unified operations center
responsible for overseeing daily operations of a
transportation facility that promotes coordination for
responses to terrorism, serious incidents, and other
purposes, as determined appropriate by the Administrator.
(b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration shall report to the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate regarding the establishment and
activities of integrated and unified operations centers at
transportation facilities at which the Transportation
Security Administration has a presence.

SEC. 5. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SECURITY TRAINING.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with public and private sector stakeholders, may
develop, through the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Centers, a training program to enhance the protection,
preparedness, and response capabilities of law enforcement
agencies with respect to terrorism and other serious
incidents at a surface transportation asset.
(b) Requirements.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security
develops the training program described in subsection (a),
such training program shall--
(1) be informed by current information regarding terrorist
tactics;
(2) include tactical instruction tailored to the diverse
nature of the surface transportation asset operational
environment; and
(3) prioritize training officers from law enforcement
agencies that are eligible for or receive grants under
sections 2003 or 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 604 and 605) and officers employed by railroad
carriers that operate passenger service, including interstate
passenger service.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Barragan)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska.

General Leave

Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have five legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and to include any extraneous material on the bill under
consideration.

[[Page H1674]]

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5089, the Strengthening
Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2018.
As evidenced by recent attacks in New York, London, and elsewhere
around the world, the threat against surface transportation is real and
unwavering. While the Department of Homeland Security, the
Transportation Security Administration, and other Federal entities have
made significant progress in providing support to State and local
surface transportation assets, the current threat environment
necessitates a coordinated approach.
Intelligence sharing is the backbone of informed, risk-based
security, yet the top-down dissemination of this information is often
stymied by bureaucracy and classification barriers.
This begs the question: How effective is intelligence collection and
analysis if it does not reach the front line and inform subsequent
decisionmaking?
H.R. 5089, the Strengthening Local Transportation Security
Capabilities Act of 2018, requires the DHS Secretary to prioritize the
assignment of officers and intelligence analysts and, as appropriate,
the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis--or I&A--to fusion centers
in jurisdictions with high-risk surface transportation assets.
High-risk surface transportation assets transport millions of people
and commodities daily and are critical for the vitality of the American
economy. This legislation will streamline and enhance the intelligence-
sharing process so these high-risk systems are better prepared to be
resilient against emerging threats.
A common complaint from owners, operators, law enforcement, and first
responders is that the TSA, and the Federal Government in general, does
not provide sufficient information for them to adequately prepare for
threats. This is primarily due to issues surrounding classification,
where key personnel at the State and local levels do not have access to
pertinent security information.
As such, this bill requires the Secretary to make security clearances
available to appropriate stakeholders, thereby making important and
relevant threat information more accessible to the people who are
heavily involved in the day-to-day security operations of surface
transportation systems.
H.R. 5089 also requires the TSA Administrator to share with owners
and operators a framework for unified operation centers to ensure
robust response to security incidents.
Recent terror attacks and plots illustrate the challenges of
effective coordination in a ``system of systems.'' This bill will
streamline coordination efforts between Federal, State, and local
entities to bring the right information to the right people.
The interconnected, diverse, and readily accessible nature of surface
transportation systems creates unique security challenges that are best
addressed by communication, coordination, and collaboration.
H.R. 5089 will create a structural framework to connect the
Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security
Administration, and surface transportation stakeholders, and it will
facilitate timely information sharing.
I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Barragan) for her
leadership on this issue. I also thank the chairman of the Subcommittee
on Transportation and Protective Security, Mr. Katko, as well as the
ranking member of the subcommittee, Mrs. Watson Coleman, for their
dedication to improving surface transportation security.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 5089,
the Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of
2018.
Mr. Speaker, in 2013, my home airport, Los Angeles International
Airport, came under attack when a gunman opened fire at a TSA security
checkpoint, killing TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez and injuring many
others.

{time} 1715

This shooting was just one of several recent attacks on relatively
soft targets such as public airport areas and surface transportation
systems.
In the wake of the shooting at LAX, Congress passed the Gerardo
Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015, which made several important
security improvements, including directing airports in high-risk
surface transportation systems to install incident response plans and
requiring TSA to provide active-shooter training to all of its
screening personnel. Now, over 2 years later, it is time to take the
next step in improving security for these soft targets. Enactment of my
bill, H.R. 5089, is that next step. H.R. 5089 is focused on enhancing
the capabilities of local transportation security stakeholders to
prevent and respond to terrorist attacks and other serious incidents.
State and local stakeholders, including transit system owners and
operators and law enforcement agencies, play a significant role in
securing surface transportation systems against threats; yet many
stakeholders cite a lack of sufficient information from TSA and the
Federal Government to adequately prepare for these threats.
The Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of
2018 requires DHS to prioritize the assignment of officers and
intelligence analysts to fusion centers in jurisdictions with a high-
risk surface transportation asset, thus improving information sharing.
Further, it directs TSA to make a framework available to stakeholders
for establishing operation centers responsible for overseeing daily
operations of transportation facilities, allowing for improved
communications.
Finally, it authorizes DHS to develop a training program through the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers to enhance the capabilities of
law enforcement agencies operating at surface transportation assets.
Taken together, the provisions build upon previous efforts to secure
our transportation systems by enhancing protection, preparedness, and
response capabilities of State and local partners working to protect
these critical systems.
Mr. Speaker, the shooting at LAX, along with attacks on surface
transportation systems and public airport areas in New Orleans, Fort
Lauderdale, New York City, and overseas have proven that acts of terror
are not limited to the aviation sector. To effectively address threats
to surface transportation systems, State and local stakeholders must be
able to communicate not only with TSA and the Federal Government, but
amongst themselves during an incident. My bill seeks to bridge
potential gaps in communication and coordination capabilities.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5089, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, if we have important information we can't serve to the
right decisionmakers at the local level, we fail, which we have learned
from 9/11 and other places where information is bottled up and doesn't
get to the people who need it. This bill helps solve that.
Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a member of the House
Committee on Homeland Security, subcommittee on Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Protection to speak in strong support of H.R. 5089,
``the Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of
2018.''
Thank you Representative Barragan for introducing this important
measure, as former Chairwoman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on
Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection I understand the
value and importance of this bill.
I have long supported bolstering our Nation's transportation system
security through improving coordination of local jurisdictions with
federal law enforcement agencies.
H.R. 5089 does just that by requiring the Department of Homeland
Security to prioritize the detailing of personnel from the
Transportation Security Administration and the DHS Office of
Intelligence and Analysis to be stationed with participating state,
local, and-regional fusion center in jurisdictions with a high-risk
surface transportation asset.

[[Page H1675]]

In 2013, the Port of Houston which receives over 200 million tons of
cargo a year was the 8th busiest container port in the nation.
Houston, also home to George Bush International Airport, the 14th
busiest airport in the nation, will benefit directly from the resources
provided in H.R. 5089.
Our transportation system facilitates economic growth through
creating jobs, transporting goods, and connecting communities to one
another.
This bill requires officers and analysts to participate in the
generation and dissemination of transportation security intelligence
products.
Additionally, H.R. 5089 directs TSA to make available to public and
private sector stakeholders a framework for establishing integrated and
unified operations centers responsible for overseeing daily operations
of transportation facilities to promote coordination for responses to
terrorism and other serious incidents.
Finally, it authorizes DHS to develop, through Federal Law
Enforcement Training Centers, a training program to enhance the
protection, preparedness, and response capabilities of law enforcement
agencies with respect to terrorism and other serious incidents at
surface transportation assets.
Taken together, the bill's provisions enhance the capabilities of
local transportation security stakeholders to prevent and respond to
terrorist attacks and other serious incidents.
We should support this effort to improve our National security and
transportation capabilities against terrorism.
I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5089.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5089, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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