I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1148
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out activities to 
assess and reduce the vulnerabilities of public transportation systems. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 6, 2003
Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD (for herself and Mr. FERGUSON) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out 
activities to assess and reduce the vulnerabilities of pub-
lic transportation systems.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Transportation 
Systems Vulnerability Assessment and Reduction Act of 
2003’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) FRONTLINE
TRANSIT
EMPLOYEE.—The 
term ‘‘frontline transit employee’’ means an em-
ployee of a mass transportation agency who is a bus 
driver, transit operator, transit maintenance em-
ployee, or community representative or is otherwise 
employed in a position with direct interaction with 
the public. 
(2) ELIGIBLE TRANSPORTATION AGENCY.—The 
term ‘‘eligible transportation agency’’ means a des-
ignated recipient as defined in section 5307(a) of 
title 49, United States Code, and any other trans-
portation agency designated by the Secretary. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
SEC. 3. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS VULNER-
ABILITY ASSESSMENTS. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the heads of other appropriate Federal departments 
and agencies, shall—
(1) conduct a review of all government assess-
ments conducted after September 11, 2001, of ter-
rorist-related threats to all forms of public transpor-
tation, including public gathering areas related to 
public transportation; and
(2) as necessary, conduct additional assess-
ments of vulnerabilities associated with any public 
transportation system. 
(b) ADEQUACY OF TRAINING.—In conducting the re-
view and assessments under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall determine the percentage of frontline transit employ-
ees who have received training in emergency preparedness 
and response activities. 
(c) REPORTS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall transmit to the President and Congress 
a report on the results of the review and assess-
ments conducted under this subsection (a), including 
the Secretary’s finding under subsection (b), and the 
Secretary’s recommendations for legislative and ad-
ministrative actions. 
(2) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall update the 
report, including the Secretary’s finding under sub-
section (b), annually for 2 years and transmit the 
updated reports to the President and Congress.
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RE-
SPONSE TRAINING OF FRONTLINE TRANSIT 
EMPLOYEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make grants 
to eligible transportation agencies for—
(1) the training of frontline transit employees 
in emergency preparedness and response activities; 
and 
(2) the acquisition of equipment and tech-
nologies, approved by the Secretary, to assist in car-
rying out such training and activities. 
(b) TRAINING ACTIVITIES.—Training activities under 
subsection (a)(1) may include the teaching of best practice 
methods, planning, testing, drills, and the development of 
agency and regional emergency preparedness and response 
programs. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an eligible transportation agency shall submit 
to the Secretary an application at the time and containing 
the information that the Secretary requires by regulation. 
(d) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—A grant to an eligible 
transportation agency in a fiscal year under this section 
shall be subject to the following terms and conditions: 
(1) EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.—
The agency shall certify that the agency will estab-
lish a committee on emergency preparedness and re-