Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2006

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006

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Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, my amendment provides an additional $1.3 billion above the underlying bill for needed security funding for our transit systems, intercity rail, freight rail, and intracity buses for a total of $1.4 billion. The funding levels I am proposing in this amendment are based on two bipartisan rail security authorization bills, S. 2273 and S. 2884, which passed the Senate last October.

Public transportation is used nearly 32 million times every day, 365 days a year. Thirty-two million times a day is 16 times more than travel on domestic airlines. How about that. According to the Government Accounting Office, nearly 6,000 agencies provide transit services through buses, subways, ferries, and light rail service to about 14 million Americans every weekday. Amtrak, while serving nearly 500 train stations in 46 States, carried an all-time record of ridership of 25 million passengers in fiscal year 2004.

Freight rail consists of more than 140,000 miles of track over which nearly 28 million carloads move annually, including over 9 million trailers and containers and $1.7 million carloads of hazardous materials and hazardous waste. Yes, only 2 cents--get this now, 2 cents. My colleagues have heard the expression, ``I want to get my 2 cents' worth.'' Well, only 2 cents on every transportation security dollar in this bill--can you believe it? Only 2 cents on every transportation security dollar in this bill goes to transit or rail security. Can you believe that? Two cents.

I remember the days of the 2-cent snack--my, that was a long time ago--and the penny postcard. Two cents. Let me say that again. Someone may not have heard that. Only 2 cents on every transportation security dollar in this bill goes to transit or rail security. The rest, where does it go? To aviation security.

When the terrorists blew up trains last year in Madrid, Spain, the administration had no plan, none, for securing transit and rail systems. The horrific bombings a few days ago in London have raised the same question. Are we prepared? What do my colleagues think? Are we prepared? Are we prepared? According to the RAND Corporation, between 1998 and 2003 there were approximately 181 terrorist attacks on rail targets worldwide. Since 2001, I have offered seven different amendments--think of it, seven different amendments--to fund rail and transit security. What do my colleagues think of that? What do they think happened? I will give one guess. I offered seven amendments to fund rail and transit security. All seven were opposed by this administration, and all seven were defeated.

Well, Robert Bruce, that great Scotsman, was lying in the loft of the barn, and he saw this spider try to throw its web across the roof on the inside of the barn. He saw that spider try six times, and the spider failed. But the spider then threw once more, seven times, and succeeded. Robert Bruce thought he would try once more. He did, and he succeeded. I offered an amendment seven times that was opposed by the administration.

While we cannot secure every train, every station, and every passenger who uses mass transit or rides on trains from city to city, we can, with the additional funding I am proposing, implement prudent, commonsense actions to reduce the risks and consequences of a terrorist attack.

I ask unanimous consent that I may have an additional 3 minutes.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. BYRD. I thank the Chair. We must harden infrastructure, install intrusion and detection systems, and procure cameras, locks, gates, canine teams, and other tools.

The Gregg amendment provides an increase of only $100 million for rail and transit security. That level simply will not be enough. It will help some, but it would not be enough to help transit and rail agencies in their efforts to deter a potential attack. For transit alone the estimate of need is $6 billion.

I am also concerned that the amendment reduces first responder funds by $100 million. This is a $100 million cut on top of the $467 million cut already in the bill. We should not be cutting funds to equip and train our police and our fire and emergency medical personnel by 24 percent.

With regard to the Shelby amendment, I am concerned that it includes only $100 million for securing rail systems. With 25 million passengers riding Amtrak and 1.7 million carloads of hazardous materials being carried on the rails, we must do more. We must do more to secure our rail system. My amendment includes $265 million for rail security.

Our thoughts, our prayers are with the victims of the London bombing. The horrific events the world witnessed a few days ago ought to serve as a call to action, a call to action by this Government, our Government, to protect our citizens from future attacks.

It is time to act. I urge all Senators to support my amendment.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Salazar be added as a cosponsor to my amendment numbered 1218.

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Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, as I understand it, the Senator from Connecticut is concerned the Committee report language could be interpreted to limit the $50 million, which is almost a full third of the funding for EDS procurement, to only technologies currently being piloted.

Mr. GREGG. The committee has set aside the funding to encourage new technologies in the area of explosives detection systems and is not necessarily limited to one or two companies. TSA has assured the committee this language does not restrict them only to technologies already being piloted, and that additional technologies which may become certified and piloted in Fiscal Year 2006 would also be eligible for this funding for next-generation technologies.

Mr. LIEBERMAN. Therefore, is my understanding correct that the objective of this set aside was to aid in the development and deployment of next generation explosive detection equipment?

Mr. GREGG. The Senator from Connecticut is correct.

Mr. LIEBERMAN. I further hope the procurement and deployment of EDS machines will be based on acquiring the best technology for the particular airport in question.

Mr. BYRD. One of the lessons we learned from 9/11 was the aviation transportation system is only as strong as its weakest link. We know terrorists boarded planes at smaller, mid-sized airports, as well as larger airports. It is important the Department encourage development of technologies that can be used at different airports, and that are being made more effective and efficient.

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