May 14, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 80 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H3756-H3758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1615
             TRANSIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY ACT

  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1313) to amend the Implementing 
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to clarify certain 
allowable uses of funds for public transportation security assistance 
grants and establish periods of performance for such grants, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1313

       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 ``Transit Security Grant 
     Program Flexibility Act''.

     SEC. 2. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 
                   SECURITY ASSISTANCE GRANTS.

       Subparagraph (A) of section 1406(b)(2) of the Implementing 
     Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 
     1135(b)(2); Public Law 110-53) is amended by inserting ``and 
     associated backfill'' after ``security training''.

     SEC. 3. PERIODS OF PERFORMANCE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 
                   SECURITY ASSISTANCE GRANTS.

       Section 1406 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/
     11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1135; Public Law 110-53) 
     is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (l) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(m) Periods of Performance.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
     funds provided pursuant to a grant awarded under this section 
     for a use specified in subsection (b) shall remain available 
     for use by a grant recipient for a period of not fewer than 
     36 months.
       ``(2) Exception.--Funds provided pursuant to a grant 
     awarded under this section for a use specified in 
     subparagraph (M) or (N) of subsection (b)(1) shall remain 
     available for use by a grant recipient for a period of not 
     fewer than 55 months.''.

     SEC. 4. GAO REVIEW.

       (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall conduct a review of the public transportation 
     security assistance grant program under section 1406 of the 
     Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 
     2007 (6 U.S.C. 1135; Public Law 110-53).
       (b) Scope.--The review required under paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) An assessment of the type of projects funded under the 
     public transportation security grant program referred to in 
     such paragraph.
       (2) An assessment of the manner in which such projects 
     address threats to public transportation infrastructure.
       (3) An assessment of the impact, if any, of this Act 
     (including the amendments made by this Act) on types of 
     projects funded under the public transportation security 
     assistance grant program.
       (4) An assessment of the management and administration of 
     public transportation security assistance grant program funds 
     by grantees.
       (5) Recommendations to improve the manner in which public 
     transportation security

[[Page H3757]]

     assistance grant program funds address vulnerabilities in 
     public transportation infrastructure.
       (6) Recommendations to improve the management and 
     administration of the public transportation security 
     assistance grant program.
       (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act and again not later than five years 
     after such date of enactment, the Comptroller General shall 
     submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the review 
     required under this section.

     SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the House of 
     Representatives, provided that such statement has been 
     submitted prior to the vote on passage.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New Mexico (Ms. Torres Small) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Joyce) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.


                             General Leave

  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1313, the Transit 
Security Grant Program Flexibility Act.
  Securing our Nation's transit systems is critical to keeping our 
country safe. Transportation systems are vital to the economic and 
social lives of everyday people all around the country. The emergence 
of so-called ``lone wolf'' domestic terrorists pose a threat to these 
critical systems and the people that use them.
  In response to this and other threats to our surface transportation 
systems, Congress established the Transportation Security Grant Program 
to help State and local authorities enhance the security of their 
systems. By all accounts, the Transportation Security Grant Program is 
making a difference.
  However, increasingly, we have heard that some of the aspects of this 
program need refinement for it to live up to its full potential. 
Specifically, the Committee on Homeland Security has received testimony 
from grant recipients that the period of performance is too short, 
especially when they are trying to undertake long-term security 
projects.
  H.R. 1313 addresses these concerns and makes the program more 
flexible by lengthening the period of performance for these grants. 
With flexibility in mind, the bill also allows for the funding in this 
program to be used for backfilling officers to allow for security 
training.
  Finally, it mandates a report by the Government Accountability Office 
on the Transportation Security Grant Program, including recommendations 
to improve the grant program. These commonsense fixes will increase the 
efficacy of the Transportation Security Grant Program to help bolster 
preparedness and response within our transportation systems.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1313, the Transit 
Security Grant Program Flexibility Act.
  The Transit Security Grant Program directly supports transportation 
infrastructure security activities by providing funds to owners and 
operators of transit systems. Whether they be bus systems, ferries, or 
passenger rail, this grant program aims to protect and increase the 
resilience of critical surface transportation infrastructure and the 
traveling public from acts of terrorism.
  H.R. 1313 codifies the performance period for use of grant funds and 
allows additional time for large-scale capital security projects. This 
bill also allows grant recipients to use their awards to pay for the 
cost of backfilling personnel attending necessary security training.
  This important legislation, introduced by my colleague on the 
Homeland Security Committee, Congressman Pete King, will further assist 
in keeping our communities safe against the threat of terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to 
join me in doing so.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, 
and I am prepared to close after the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
closes.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. King).
  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Joyce for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my legislation, H.R. 
1313, the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act.
  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. 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.
  We have witnessed multiple attacks overseas: the bombings of commuter 
trains in Madrid, the metro station bombing in Brussels, the bombing of 
the tube in London.
  In New York, we saw, in 2019, there was an attempted liquid explosive 
attack, which, if successful, would have killed many, many hundreds.
  And then, soon after that, there was a planned attack against the 
Long Island Railroad, in my own district, carried out by Bryant Neal 
Vinas, who was then in Afghanistan plotting the attack.
  And more recently and much closer to home, we witnessed the 2017 New 
York Port Authority bombing, which the Speaker is well aware of, 
involving our city.
  With the continual calls from ISIS and other extremist groups for 
lone-wolf attacks to target crowded areas, we must ensure the first 
responders and transit agencies have the tools needed to secure our 
transit systems.
  Based on previous work done by the subcommittee under the leadership 
of my good friend Congressman Dan Donovan, we learned of the challenges 
associated with the fluctuating period of performance for Transit 
Security Grant Program projects, especially for completing vital large-
scale capital security projects.
  The Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act addresses this 
challenge by codifying the period of performance for this grant program 
at 36 months for the majority of eligible projects. It also extends the 
period of performance for large-scale projects to 55 months. This 
ensures that these major projects can be successfully completed in the 
allotted time.
  Transit security grant program awards can be used to provide 
personnel with essential security training. However, recipients of 
these awards are not currently permitted to use the grant program funds 
to pay for backfilling personnel attending such training, which may, in 
turn, inhibit some transit agencies from sending their staff to vital 
security training.
  H.R. 1313 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, it is imperative that the 
Transit Security Grant Program provide flexible solutions for grant 
recipients. It is of the utmost importance that transit agencies have 
the ability to enhance the protection of these soft targets and crowded 
places to keep everyday commuters safe.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my staff, particularly, Diana Bergwin, for their 
hard work.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join in supporting H.R. 1313.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H3758]]

  

  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, today, the 
Transportation Security Grant Program is a meaningful tool to help 
communities improve the safety of our surface infrastructure, but, as 
discussed, there are areas where it could be improved. H.R. 1313 seeks 
to do just that.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman King for his bipartisan work on this 
legislation.
  Before I yield back, I would like to note that this legislation is 
identical to a measure that the House approved last Congress by a voice 
vote on January 31, 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1313, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Torres Small) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1313, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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