511 
changing security threats. Each public transportation agency shall re-
vise its training program accordingly and provide additional training as 
necessary to its workers within a reasonable time after the regulations 
are updated. 
(f) LONG-TERM
TRAINING
REQUIREMENT.—A public transportation 
agency required to develop a security training program under this section 
shall provide routine and ongoing training for employees covered under the 
program, regardless of whether the public transportation agency receives 
subsequent grant awards. 
(g) NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall ensure that the 
training program developed under subsection (b) is a component of the na-
tional training program established under section 20508 of this title. 
(h) FERRY EXEMPTION.—This section shall not apply to a ferry system 
for which training is required to be conducted under section 70103 of title 
46. 
§ 40507. Public transportation research and development 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary shall carry out, through the Homeland Security Advanced Re-
search Projects Agency in the Science and Technology Directorate and in 
consultation with the Transportation Security Administration and the Fed-
eral Transit Administration, a research and development program to im-
prove the security of transportation systems. 
(b) AWARDING OF GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—The Secretary shall award 
grants or contracts to public or private entities to conduct research and 
demonstrate technologies and methods to reduce and deter terrorist threats 
or mitigate damages resulting from terrorist attacks against public trans-
portation systems. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants or contracts awarded under this section— 
(1) shall be coordinated with activities of the Homeland Security Ad-
vanced Research Projects Agency; and 
(2) may be used to— 
(A) research chemical, biological, radiological, or explosive detec-
tion systems that do not significantly impede passenger access; 
(B) research imaging technologies; 
(C) conduct product evaluations and testing; 
(D) improve security and redundancy for critical communica-
tions, electrical power, and computer and train control systems; 
(E) develop technologies for securing tunnels, transit bridges, 
and aerial structures; 
(F) research technologies that mitigate damages in the event of 
a cyberattack; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00511
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
512 
(G) research other technologies or methods for reducing or de-
terring terrorist attacks against public transportation systems, or 
mitigating damage from attacks. 
(d) PRIVACY AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES.— 
(1) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out research and development 
projects under this section, the Secretary shall consult with the Chief 
Privacy Officer of the Department and the Officer for Civil Rights and 
Civil Liberties of the Department, as appropriate, and in accordance 
with section 10543 of this title. 
(2) PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS.—In accordance with sections 
10543 and 11505 of this title, the Chief Privacy Officer shall conduct 
privacy impact assessments and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil 
Liberties shall conduct reviews, as appropriate, for research and devel-
opment initiatives developed under this section. 
(e) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Each entity that is awarded a grant or 
contract under this section shall report annually to the Department on the 
use of grant or contract funds received under this section to ensure that 
the awards made are expended in accordance with the purposes of this 
chapter and the priorities developed by the Secretary. 
(f) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall ensure that the research is con-
sistent with the priorities established in the National Strategy for Public 
Transportation Security and is coordinated, to the extent practicable, with 
other Federal, State, local, tribal, and private-sector public transportation, 
railroad, commuter railroad, and over-the-road bus research initiatives to le-
verage resources and avoid unnecessary duplicative efforts. 
(g) RETURN OF MISSPENT GRANT OR CONTRACT FUNDS.—If the Sec-
retary determines that a grantee or contractor used any portion of the grant 
or contract funds received under this section for a purpose other than the 
allowable uses specified under subsection (c), the grantee or contractor shall 
return that amount to the Treasury. 
§ 40508. Information sharing 
(a) INTELLIGENCE SHARING.—The Secretary shall ensure that the De-
partment of Transportation receives appropriate and timely notification of 
all credible terrorist threats against public transportation assets in the 
United States. 
(b) INFORMATION SHARING AND ANALYSIS CENTER.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary shall provide for the reasonable 
costs of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center for Public Trans-
portation (in this subsection referred to as the ‘‘ISAC’’). 
(2) PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00512
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
513 
(A) shall require public transportation agencies that the Sec-
retary determines to be at high risk of terrorist attack to partici-
pate in the ISAC; 
(B) shall encourage all other public transportation agencies to 
participate in the ISAC; 
(C) shall encourage the participation of nonprofit employee 
labor organizations representing public transportation employees, 
as appropriate; and 
(D) shall not charge a fee for participating in the ISAC. 
§ 40509. Reporting requirements 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 31 of each year, the Sec-
retary shall submit a report, containing the information described in 
paragraph (2), to the appropriate congressional committees. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall in-
clude— 
(A) a description of the implementation of the provisions of this 
chapter; 
(B) the amount of funds appropriated to carry out the provi-
sions of this chapter that have not been expended or obligated; 
(C) the National Strategy for Public Transportation Security 
required under section 40502 of this title; 
(D) an estimate of the cost to implement the National Strategy 
for Public Transportation Security, which shall break out the ag-
gregated total cost of needed capital and operational security im-
provements for fiscal years 2017 and 2018; and 
(E) the state of public transportation security in the United 
States, which shall include detailing the status of security assess-
ments, the progress being made around the country in developing 
prioritized lists of security improvements necessary to make public 
transportation facilities and passengers more secure, the progress 
being made by agencies in developing security plans and how those 
plans differ from the security assessments, and a prioritized list 
of security improvements being compiled by other agencies, as well 
as a random sample of an equal number of large- and small-scale 
projects currently underway. 
(3) FORMAT.—The Secretary may submit the report in both classi-
fied and redacted formats if the Secretary determines that it is appro-
priate or necessary. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORT TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00513
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
514 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 31 of each year, the Sec-
retary shall submit a report to the chief executive officer of each State 
with a public transportation agency that has received a grant under 
this chapter. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall 
specify— 
(A) the amount of grant funds distributed to each public trans-
portation agency; and 
(B) the use of the grant funds. 
§ 40510.
Public transportation employee protections 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A public transportation agency, a contractor or a sub-
contractor of the agency, or an officer or employee of the agency, shall not 
discharge, demote, suspend, reprimand, or in any other way discriminate 
against an employee if the discrimination is due, in whole or in part, to the 
employee’s lawful, good faith act done, or perceived by the employer to have 
been done or about to be done— 
(1) to provide information, directly cause information to be provided, 
or otherwise directly assist in any investigation regarding any conduct 
that the employee reasonably believes constitutes a violation of any 
Federal law, rule, or regulation relating to public transportation safety 
or security, or fraud, waste, or abuse of Federal grants or other public 
funds intended to be used for public transportation safety or security, 
if the information or assistance is provided to, or an investigation stem-
ming from the provided information is conducted by— 
(A) a Federal, State, or local regulatory or law enforcement 
agency (including an office of the Inspector General under the In-
spector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–452, 5 U.S.C. 
App.)); 
(B) a member of Congress, a committee of Congress, or the 
Government Accountability Office; or 
(C) an individual with supervisory authority over the employee, 
or another individual who has the authority to investigate, dis-
cover, or terminate the misconduct; 
(2) to refuse to violate or assist in the violation of any Federal law, 
rule, or regulation relating to public transportation safety or security; 
(3) to file a complaint or directly cause to be brought a proceeding 
relating to the enforcement of this section or to testify in that pro-
ceeding; 
(4) to cooperate with a safety or security investigation by the Sec-
retary of Transportation, the Secretary, or the National Transportation 
Safety Board; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00514
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS