I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1401 
To improve the security of railroads, public transportation, and over-the- 
road buses in the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 8, 2007 
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi (for himself, Mr. KING of New York, Ms. JACK-
SON-LEE of Texas, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Ms. LORET-
TA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. DICKS, Ms. HARMAN, Mrs. 
LOWEY, Ms. NORTON, Ms. ZOE
LOFGREN
of California, Mrs. 
CHRISTENSEN, Mr. ETHERIDGE, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. 
CARNEY, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, and Mr. PERLMUTTER) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve the security of railroads, public transportation, 
and over-the-road buses in the United States, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.— 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
Sec. 3. National strategy for rail and public transportation security. 
Sec. 4. Assignment of providers of covered transportation to risk-based tiers. 
Sec. 5. Rail and public transportation assessments and plans. 
Sec. 6. Information sharing plan. 
Sec. 7. Rail security assistance. 
Sec. 8. Public transportation security assistance. 
Sec. 9. Over-the-road bus security assistance. 
Sec. 10. Fire and life safety improvements. 
Sec. 11. Security training program. 
Sec. 12. Security exercises. 
Sec. 13. Security research and development. 
Sec. 14. Whistleblower protections. 
Sec. 15. Increase in surface transportation security inspectors. 
Sec. 16. National domestic preparedness consortium. 
Sec. 17. Authorization of Visible Intermodal Protection Response Teams. 
Sec. 18. National Transportation Security Center of Excellence. 
Sec. 19. TSA personnel limitations. 
Sec. 20. Homeland security grants. 
Sec. 21. Threat assessment screening. 
Sec. 22. Background checks for covered individuals. 
Sec. 23. Penalties. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ has the meaning that term has in section 
2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
101) and includes the Committees on Homeland Se-
curity and Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives and the Committees on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate. 
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(2) APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDERS.—The term 
‘‘appropriate stakeholders’’ means— 
(A) providers of covered transportation; 
(B) organizations representing providers of 
covered transportation; 
(C) nonprofit employee labor organizations 
representing railroad, public transportation, or 
over-the-road bus workers; 
(D) shippers of hazardous material; 
(E) manufacturers of railroad and transit 
cars; 
(F) State departments of transportation; 
(G) public safety officials; 
(H) law enforcement and fire service offi-
cials; and 
(I) other relevant persons. 
(3) COVERED
TRANSPORTATION.—The term 
‘‘covered transportation’’ means transportation pro-
vided by a railroad carrier, a provider of public 
transportation, or an over-the-road bus. 
(4) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of Homeland Security. 
(5) DESIGNATED RECIPIENT.—The term ‘‘des-
ignated recipient’’ has the meaning that the term 
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has in section 5307(a) of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(6) 
PROVIDER
OF
COVERED
TRANSPOR-
TATION.—The term ‘‘provider of covered transpor-
tation’’ means— 
(A) with respect to transportation provided 
by a railroad carrier, the railroad carrier; 
(B) with respect to public transportation, 
the public transportation designated recipient 
providing the transportation; and 
(C) with respect to transportation provided 
by an over-the-road bus, the private operator. 
(7) OVER-THE-ROAD BUS.—The term ‘‘over-the- 
road bus’’ means a bus characterized by an elevated 
passenger deck located over a baggage compartment. 
(8) 
PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION.—The 
term 
‘‘public transportation’’ has the meaning that term 
has in section 5302(a) of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(9) RAILROAD.—The term ‘‘railroad’’ has the 
meaning that term has in section 20102 of title 49, 
United States Code. 
(10) RAILROAD CARRIER.—The term ‘‘railroad 
carrier’’ has the meaning that term has in section 
20102 of title 49, United States Code. 
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(11) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
(12) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any one 
of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto 
Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Is-
lands, Guam, American Samoa, and any other terri-
tory or possession of the United States. 
(13) TERRORISM.—The term ‘‘terrorism’’ has 
the meaning that term has in section 2 of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101). 
(14) TRANSPORTATION.—The term ‘‘transpor-
tation’’, as used with respect to an over-the-road- 
bus, means the movement of passengers or property 
by an over-the-road-bus. 
(A) in the jurisdiction of the United States 
between a place in a State and a place outside 
the State (including a place outside the United 
States); or 
(B) in a State that affects trade, traffic, 
and transportation described in subparagraph 
(A). 
(15) UNITED
STATES.—The term ‘‘United 
States’’ means the 50 States, the District of Colum-
bia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the 
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