September 9, 2003
The Honorable Thad Cochran
Chairman
Subcommittee on Homeland Security
Committee on Appropriations
135 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6037
Dear Mr. Chairman:
I write on behalf of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) regarding the conference on the FY 2004 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill, H.R. 2555. APTA appreciates and supports the initiatives of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and its strong leadership in addressing the transit security needs of our nation. Our Association represents over 1500 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 profoundly grateful for the way in which Congress and the Administration have provided critical investments for transit systems following the terrible events of 9/11, and we trust that the bill intends to reflect that commitment going forward. In particular, we appreciate the $65 million for the 20 largest transit agencies made available in the emergency supplemental, but we wish to emphasize the need to provide substantial funding for security at other agencies throughout the nation as well.
While transit agencies have taken numerous steps to improve the security of their systems since September 11, 2001, there remain critical unfunded investment needs in securing transit systems against acts of terrorism. In addition to APTA’s funding request to the Subcommittee that was submitted in testimony last April, the General Accounting Office (GAO) concludes in a recent report that obtaining sufficient funding was the most significant challenge in making transit systems as safe and secure as possible. The GAO visited 10 transit properties of varying sizes and characteristics, and surveyed 200 of the 6,000 transit operators of the nation. At just eight of the transit systems that had conducted professional security assessments and reviewed procedures, equipment and personnel, the cost to upgrade these systems to a level of security was some $700 million. In short, it is clear additional resources are needed to avoid, preempt, and prevent a terrorist event involving a transit system and its riders.
The House bill includes $10 million for transit security and training, while the Senate bill contains no such funding specifically dedicated to transit we urge the conference to agree to the House funding. In addition, the Senate bill contains language clarifying that the Office of Domestic Preparedness provides state and local governments with "grants for training, equipment, exercises, and technical assistance to improve their readiness for terrorism incidents" and that a "transit authority" should be considered a local government eligible for such funding. We urge the conferees to agree to the Senate language on this issue.
If you have any questions about these issues, please have your staff contact Tom Yedinak of APTA’s Government Affairs staff at (202) 496-4865 or email tyedinak@apta.com.
Thank you for your consideration of our position on these issues.
Sincerely yours,
William W. Millar
President
WWM/amm
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