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

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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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