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;
(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—
(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—