House of Representatives Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure. The report shall include the Comp-
troller General’s assessment regarding whether it is fea-
sible to implement within the United States any of the 
same or similar security measures that are determined ef-
fective under the study. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2008 to carry out the provisions of this section, which 
shall remain available until expended. 
SEC. 5. FIRE AND LIFE-SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. 
(a) LIFE-SAFETY NEEDS.—The Secretary of Trans-
portation is authorized to make grants to Amtrak for the 
purpose of making fire and life-safety improvements to 
tunnels on the Northeast Corridor in New York, New 
York, Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, District of Co-
lumbia, and Boston, Massachusetts. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Transportation for the purposes of carrying out subsection 
(a) the following amounts: 
(1) For the 6 New York tunnels to provide ven-
tilation, electrical, and fire safety technology up-
grades, emergency communication and lighting sys-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
tems, and emergency access and egress for pas-
sengers— 
(A) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
(B) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(C) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
(D) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
and 
(E) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
(2) For the Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel and 
the Union tunnel, together, to provide adequate 
drainage, ventilation, communication, lighting, and 
passenger egress upgrades— 
(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
(B) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(C) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
(D) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
(E) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
(3) For the Washington, District of Columbia, 
Union Station tunnels to improve ventilation, com-
munication, lighting, and passenger egress up-
grades— 
(A) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
(B) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(C) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
(D) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
(E) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
(4) For the Boston, Massachusetts, Back Bay 
tunnels to improve ventilation, communication, light-
ing, and passenger egress upgrades— 
(A) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
(B) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(C) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
(D) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
(E) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
(c) INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES.—There are au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transpor-
tation for fiscal year 2008 $3,000,000 for the preliminary 
design of options for a new tunnel on a different alignment 
to augment the capacity of the existing Baltimore tunnels. 
(d) AVAILABILITY
OF
APPROPRIATED
FUNDS.— 
Amounts appropriated pursuant to this section shall re-
main available until expended. 
(e) PLAN REQUIRED.—The Secretary may not make 
amounts available to Amtrak for obligation or expenditure 
under subsection (a)— 
(1) until Amtrak has submitted to the Sec-
retary, and the Secretary has approved, an engineer-
ing and financial plan for such projects; and 
(2) unless, for each project funded pursuant to 
this section, the Secretary has approved a project 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
management plan prepared by Amtrak addressing 
project budget, construction schedule, recipient staff 
organization, document control and record keeping, 
change order procedure, quality control and assur-
ance, periodic status reports, and such other matter 
the Secretary deems appropriate; 
(f) FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION FROM OTHER TUN-
NEL USERS.—The Secretary shall, taking into account the 
need for timely completion of all life-safety portions of the 
tunnel projects described in subsection (a)— 
(1) consider the extent to which rail carriers 
other than Amtrak use the tunnels; 
(2) consider the feasibility of seeking a financial 
contribution from those other rail carriers toward 
the costs of the projects; and 
(3) seek financial contributions or commitments 
from such other rail carriers at levels reflecting the 
extent of their use of the tunnels. 
SEC. 6. SECURITY ASSISTANCE GRANTS. 
(a) CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall award grants directly to public trans-
portation agencies for allowable capital security im-
provements based on the recommendations estab-
lished under section 2(a)(3). 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
(2) ALLOWABLE
USE
OF
FUNDS.—Grants 
awarded under paragraph (1) may be used for— 
(A) tunnel protection systems; 
(B) perimeter protection systems; 
(C) redundant critical operations control 
systems; 
(D) chemical, biological, radiological, or ex-
plosive detection systems; 
(E) surveillance equipment; 
(F) communications equipment; 
(G) emergency response equipment; 
(H) fire suppression and decontamination 
equipment; 
(I) global positioning or automated vehicle 
locator type system equipment; 
(J) evacuation improvements; and 
(K) other capital safety improvements. 
(b) OPERATIONAL
SECURITY
ASSISTANCE
PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall award grants directly to public trans-
portation agencies for allowable operational security 
improvements based on the recommendations estab-
lished under section 2(a)(3). 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
(2) ALLOWABLE
USE
OF
FUNDS.—Grants 
awarded under paragraph (1) may be used for— 
(A) security training for transit employees, 
including rail operators, mechanics, customer 
service, maintenance employees, transit police, 
and security personnel; 
(B) live or simulated drills; 
(C) public awareness campaigns for en-
hanced public transit security; 
(D) canine patrols for chemical, biological, 
or explosives detection; 
(E) overtime reimbursement for enhanced 
security personnel during significant national 
and international public events; and 
(F) other appropriate security improve-
ments. 
(c) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 
3 days before any grant is awarded under this section, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives of the intent to award such grant. 
(d) PROCEDURES FOR GRANT AWARD.—The Sec-
retary shall prescribe procedures and schedules for the 
awarding of grants under this section, including applica-
tion and qualification procedures, and a record of decision 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
on applicant eligibility. The procedures shall include the 
execution of a grant agreement between the grant recipi-
ent and the Secretary. The Secretary shall issue a final 
rule establishing the procedures not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(e) TRANSIT
AGENCY
RESPONSIBILITIES.—Each 
public transportation agency that receives a grant under 
this section shall— 
(1) identify a security coordinator to coordinate 
security improvements; 
(2) develop a comprehensive plan that dem-
onstrates the agency’s capacity for operating and 
maintaining the equipment purchased under this 
subsection; 
(3) develop a comprehensive training plan that 
demonstrates the agency’s capacity to train all em-
ployees in emergency response and security aware-
ness; and 
(4) report annually to the Department of 
Homeland Security on the use of grant funds re-
ceived under this section. 
(f) RETURN OF MISSPENT GRANT FUNDS.—If the 
Secretary of Homeland Security determines that a grantee 
used any portion of the grant funds received under this 
section for a purpose other than allowable uses specified 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
for that grant under this section, the grantee shall return 
any amount so used to the Treasury of the United States. 
SEC. 7. RAIL SECURITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT PROGRAM.—The Under Secretary for Border and 
Transportation Security of the Department of Homeland 
Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of Transpor-
tation, shall carry out a research and development pro-
gram for the purpose of improving freight and intercity 
passenger rail security, including research and develop-
ment projects to— 
(1) reduce the vulnerability of passenger trains, 
stations, infrastructure, and equipment to explosives; 
(2) test new emergency response techniques and 
technologies; 
(3) research chemical, biological, radiological, or 
explosive detection systems; 
(4) research imaging technologies; 
(5) research technologies for sealing rail cars; 
and 
(6) support enhanced security for transpor-
tation of hazardous materials by rail, including— 
(A) technologies to detect a breach in a 
tank car and transit information about the in-
tegrity of tank cars to the train crew; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
(B) research to improve tank car integrity, 
with a focus on tank cars that carry toxic-inha-
lation chemicals; and 
(C) techniques to transfer hazardous mate-
rials from rail cars that are damaged or other-
wise represent an unreasonable risk to human 
life or public safety. 
(b) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—The 
Under Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Transit 
Administration, shall award grants to public or private en-
tities to conduct research into, and demonstration of, tech-
nologies and methods to reduce and deter terrorist threats 
or mitigate damages resulting from terrorist attacks 
against public transportation systems, as described in sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 8. WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS FOR RAIL EM-
PLOYEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—No company involved in rail 
transportation (encompassing railroad carriers, as that 
term is defined in section 20102(2) of title 49, United 
States Code) or any officer, employee, contractor, subcon-
tractor, or agent of such company, may discharge, demote, 
suspend, threaten, harass, hold liable, or discriminate in 
any way against an employee because of any lawful act 
done by the employee— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS
(1) to provide information, to cause information 
to be provided, or otherwise assist in any investiga-
tion or proceeding regarding conduct that the em-
ployee believes reasonably contravenes the purposes, 
functions, or responsibilities of this Act, when that 
information or assistance is provided to or the inves-
tigation is conducted by— 
(A) a Federal or State regulatory or law 
enforcement agency; 
(B) any Member of Congress or any com-
mittee of Congress; or 
(C) a person with supervisory authority 
over the employee (or such other person work-
ing for the employer who has the authority to 
investigate, discover, or terminate misconduct); 
or 
(2) to refuse to violate or assist in the violation 
of any rule, law, or regulation related to rail secu-
rity. 
(b) ENFORCEMENT ACTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A person who alleges dis-
charge or other discrimination by any person in vio-
lation of subsection (a) may seek relief under sub-
section (c) by— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:52 Jan 18, 2007
Jkt 059196
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H534.IH
H534
jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with BILLS