Little Falls, NJ - {US Representatives Bob Menendez and Bill Pascrell, Jr., Members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today joined Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale to highlight local efforts to protect New Jersey rail passengers and to call for increased funding to continue these efforts. Menendez and Pascrell are the lead sponsor and co-sponsor of the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act, which seeks to address the funding discrepancy between aviation security and rail security.

"Every day, thousands of people in this state get on a train or bus to head to work, school, go to the doctor, or go visit their friends and families. And terrorist have shown, time and again, that these commuters make a tempting target, which is why the hard work of people like Sheriff Speziale, who have made mass transit security a priority even through the federal government hasn't, is so important," said Menendez.

"In our densely populated and heavily congested state, mass transportation is critical to our quality of life and economic vitality. But with the benefits of such a system, and in the shadow of Madrid, comes the grave threat of terrorism," stated Pascrell, a Member of the House Committee of Homeland Security. "Local first responders and transit agencies cannot secure our rail lines on their own. We need a much stronger federal commitment to transit security than we have today. The Congress needs to act now."

Members of the Passaic County Sheriff's K-9 unit, who perform daily sweeps of the passenger rail stations in Passaic County, joined Menendez, Pascrell and Speziale at today's event.

"I want to commend Congressman Menendez and Pascrell for their leadership regarding rail security," said Sheriff Speziale. "In Passaic County, the Sheriff's Department operates a very aggressive rails security program. Individuals who use the rails need to know that they will be safe when traveling by rail. A comprehensive national rail protection program will one day save the lives of countless Americans."

According to The National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, since September 11, there have been five times as many attacks on mass transit (398) versus aviation strikes (69). Yet over the past three years, the federal government has spent over $12 billion on aviation security, but only about $265 million on rail and transit security, despite the fact that there are far more transit riders than airplane passengers. The Rail and Mass Transportation Security Act of 2005 seeks address this funding disparity via authorizing funds for the operating, capital, planning, training and R&D security needs of the nation's rail and public transit systems. Specifically it authorizes:

$5 million for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to complete a vulnerability assessment of freight and passenger rail transportation and provide prioritized recommendations and associated costs for securing US freight and passenger rail system.

$5 million for DHS, in cooperation with DOT, to analyze the feasibility of implementing a requirement that a passenger, baggage and cargo-screening program exist at all rail stations, and to conduct a pilot of such a program at 5 Amtrak stations.

• Funding for the life-safety improvements in the following rail tunnels:
  
• New York Tunnels (6) - $570 million authorized over five years (06-10);
  
• Baltimore and Potomac tunnel and the Union Tunnel - $57 million authorized over five years (06-10);
  
• DC Union Station Tunnels - $40 million authorized over five years (05-10);
  
• $3 million for preliminary design of a new Baltimore Tunnel to augment the capacity of the existing tunnels.
  
• $200 million for DHS, in consultation with FTA, to award grants to public & private entities to conduct research and demonstrate technologies and methods to reduce and deter terrorist threats against public transportation systems.
  
• $62.5 million in FY '06 for DHS for system wide improvements for Amtrak trains, stations, train tracking and communications systems and major tunnels, and to hire additional police and security officers, including canine units, and obtain a watch list identification system, and otherwise expand emergency preparedness efforts.
  
• $250 million for grants in FY '06 to improve security for freight and passenger rail. Grants may be awarded to Amtrak, freight railroads, the Alaska Railroad, hazardous material shippers, and the owners of rail cars used for the transportation of HAZMAT.
  
• $800 million for operating grants and $1.04 billion in capital grants annually (06-10), to eligible transit agencies, to prevent or respond to acts of terrorism. Operating grants are authorized for additional police, dogs, training, communications systems, for increasing security on rights of way, equipment and facilities, and public security awareness, as well as other measures, and capital grants for operational redundancy and increased protection of train control, computer and communications systems; for GPS tracking and surveillance equipment; for protection and detection equipment for biological, chemical, radiological, nuclear and explosive threat devices; and for modifications to physical facilities to enhance security and improve emergency response efforts.

"As a member of the conference committee on the multi-year transportation bill currently being negotiated in Congress, I am fighting to keep crucial provisions that will allow federal transit funds to be used for security measures. This will help somewhat, but it's only part of the solution, since we shouldn't force our cash-strapped transit agencies to choose whether to spend their limited money on providing service or providing security. We need to pass this transit security bill and ensure that they get all the money they need to protect riders in New Jersey and nationally," concluded Menendez. 

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