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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Over-the-Road Bus 
Security and Safety Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. EMERGENCY OVER-THE-ROAD BUS SECURITY AS-
SISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation, 
acting through the Administrator of the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Administration, shall establish a program 
for making grants to private operators of over-the-road 
buses for system-wide security improvements to their oper-
ations, including—
(1) constructing and modifying terminals, ga-
rages, facilities, or over-the-road buses to assure 
their security; 
(2) protecting or isolating the driver; 
(3) acquiring, upgrading, installing, or oper-
ating equipment, software, or accessorial services for 
collection, storage, or exchange of passenger and 
driver information through ticketing systems or oth-
erwise, and information links with government agen-
cies; 
(4) training employees in recognizing and re-
sponding to security threats, evacuation procedures, 
passenger screening procedures, and baggage inspec-
tion; 
(5) hiring and training security officers;
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(6) installing cameras and video surveillance 
equipment on over-the-road buses and at terminals, 
garages, and over-the-road bus facilities; 
(7) creating a program for employee identifica-
tion or background investigation; 
(8) establishing an emergency communications 
system linked to law enforcement and emergency 
personnel; and 
(9) implementing and operating passenger 
screening programs at terminals and on over-the-
road buses. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT.—A grant under this Act may 
be used to provide reimbursement to private operators of 
over-the-road buses for extraordinary security-related 
costs for improvements described in paragraphs (1) 
through (9) of subsection (a), determined by the Secretary 
to have been incurred by such operators since September 
11, 2001. 
(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the cost 
for which any grant is made under this Act shall be 90 
percent. 
(d) DUE CONSIDERATION.—In making grants under 
this Act, the Secretary shall give due consideration to pri-
vate operators of over-the-road buses that have taken
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measures to enhance bus transportation security from 
those in effect before September 11, 2001. 
(e) GRANT REQUIREMENTS.—A grant under this Act 
shall be subject to all the terms and conditions that a 
grant is subject to under section 3038(f) of the Transpor-
tation Equity Act for the 21st Century (49 U.S.C. 5310 
note; 112 Stat. 393). 
SEC. 3. PLAN REQUIREMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may not make a 
grant under this Act to a private operator of over-the-road 
buses until the operator has first submitted to the Sec-
retary—
(1) a plan for making security improvements 
described in section 2 and the Secretary has ap-
proved the plan; and 
(2) such additional information as the Secretary 
may require to ensure accountability for the obliga-
tion and expenditure of amounts made available to 
the operator under the grant. 
(b) COORDINATION.—To the extent that an applica-
tion for a grant under this section proposes security im-
provements within a specific terminal owned and operated 
by an entity other than the applicant, the applicant shall 
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the
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applicant has coordinated the security improvements for 
the terminal with that entity. 
SEC. 4. OVER-THE-ROAD BUS DEFINED. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘over-the-road bus’’ means a 
bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located 
over a baggage compartment. 
SEC. 5. BUS SECURITY ASSESSMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall transmit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives a preliminary report in accordance with 
the requirements of this section. 
(b) CONTENTS OF PRELIMINARY REPORT.—The pre-
liminary report shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the over-the-road bus se-
curity grant program; 
(2) an assessment of actions already taken to 
address identified security issues by both public and 
private entities and recommendations on whether ad-
ditional safety and security enforcement actions are 
needed;
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(3) an assessment of whether additional legisla-
tion is needed to provide for the security of Ameri-
cans traveling on over-the-road buses; 
(4) an assessment of the economic impact that 
security upgrades of buses and bus facilities may 
have on the over-the-road bus transportation indus-
try and its employees; 
(5) an assessment of ongoing research and the 
need for additional research on over-the-road bus se-
curity, including engine shut-off mechanisms, chem-
ical and biological weapon detection technology, and 
the feasibility of compartmentalization of the driver; 
and 
(6) an assessment of industry best practices to 
enhance security. 
(c) CONSULTATION WITH INDUSTRY, LABOR, AND 
OTHER GROUPS.—In carrying out this section, the Sec-
retary shall consult with over-the-road bus management 
and labor representatives, public safety and law enforce-
ment officials, and the National Academy of Sciences. 
SEC. 6. FUNDING. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Transportation to carry out this Act 
$99,000,000 for fiscal years 2003 and 2004. Such sums 
shall remain available until expended.
Union Calendar No. 23
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 875
[Report No. 108–36] 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to make 
grants for security improvements to over-the-road 
bus operations, and for other purposes. 
MARCH 13, 2003
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
State of the Union and ordered to be printed