Statement by William W. Millar, President
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
Transit News
February 4, 2008
Virginia Miller
(202) 496-4816
vmiller@apta.com
(Download In Adobe PDF format)
“The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is very disappointed that once again President Bush’s proposed FY 2009 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget for public transportation security is woefully inadequate to ensure the safety of the tens of millions of Americans who use public transportation.
Regrettably, the Bush Administration’s FY 2009 proposal of $175 million for the Transit Security Grant Program, is $225 million less than the $400 million that Congress appropriated for transit security for FY 2008 and the proposed $175 million is significantly less than the $750 million that was authorized for FY 2009 in H.R.1, the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007, that President Bush signed into law on August 3, 2007.
Additionally, the Administration did not propose funding to develop transit security standards or the Public Transit Information Sharing Analysis Center (ISAC). Both of these programs are two important national efforts that could significantly enhance transit security for a minimal cost.
In his State of the Union address on January 28, President Bush said, ‘On the home front, we will continue to take every lawful and effective measure to protect our country.’ It would have been appropriate, then, to propose an increase in federal transit security appropriations. According to a 2002 Government Accountability Office report, ‘About one-third of terrorist attacks worldwide target transportation systems, and transit systems are the mode most commonly attacked.’
Public transit systems across the country have allocated billions of dollars towards security needs since September 11, 2001. However, the need is greater than local funds can provide and transit security is a federal responsibility. Consequently, the Bush Administration needs to change its course in its last year and make a commitment to fund public transit security at a much greater level so that Americans who travel by trains and buses are as safe as those who travel on planes.”
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APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.
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