Senate committee probes ongoing efforts to shore up surface transportation security

A congressional panel probed ongoing efforts to secure the nation’s transportation networks Tuesday in response to the rise of terrorist attacks around the world targeting rail, mass transit, and highways.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation evaluated steps taken by the Trump Administration to secure the nation’s surface transportation networks and a bill that aims to address Transportation Security Administration (TSA) vulnerabilities.

“In the last several years, the world has seen the growing threat of terrorism to surface transportation networks — here at home and abroad,” U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), chairwoman of the subcommittee, said. “Targeted attacks, like the 2016 massacre in Nice, France, and the more recent explosion in the New York subway terminal, demonstrated the need for greater attention to security across transportation modes.”

Fischer was an original cosponsor of the Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act, S. 3379. TSA would be required to review its mission and surface transportation risks assessments under the bill.

Additionally, the bill would mandate security training for all frontline transportation operators and employees, reform port security and credentialing, and enhance screening tools for passenger rail.