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The Honorable Peter Hoekstra
Chairman
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
H405, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Hoekstra:
I write on behalf of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
and its 1,500 member organizations on your efforts to reach an acceptable
agreement on S. 2845, "The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention
Act." It is our understanding that negotiations continue on the bill
with the hope that Congress may approve a conference report before final adjournment.
APTA represents over 1,500 public and private member organizations including
transit systems and commuter rail operators; planning, design, construction
and finance firms; procurement and service providers; and academic institutions
and state departments of transportation.
We are particularly concerned about far reaching language to require the
Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and implement a National Strategy
for Transportation Security and transportation modal security plans without
consulting and working in a collaborative way with the Department of Transportation.
In previous congressional testimony and in a recent letter to Secretary Ridge,
APTA has urged that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department
of Transportation enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would
specify the roles and responsibilities of each agency with respect to public
transit security. While a broadly worded understanding between DOT and DHS
has apparently been agreed to, there remains a clear need to identify the
roles, responsibilities and working relationships between the relevant federal
partners and industry shareholders as well. Each agency has an important role
to play in that regard, and we urge that both agencies work together in developing
a National Strategy for Transportation Security in close consultation with
APTA. We stand ready to assist and work with you and your Committee in that
regard.
Thank you for your leadership and your efforts on this important legislation.
I look forward to working with you in the next Congress on public transportation
security.
Sincerely yours,
William W. Millar
President
WWM/amm
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