IB 
Union Calendar No. 458 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5131 
[Report No. 115–602] 
To improve the effectiveness of Federal efforts to identify and address home-
land security risks to surface transportation, secure against vehicle-based 
attacks, and conduct a feasibility assessment of introducing new security 
technologies and measures, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 27, 2018 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, and Mr. 
KATKO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security 
MARCH 19, 2018 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 27, 2018] 
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A BILL 
To improve the effectiveness of Federal efforts to identify 
and address homeland security risks to surface transpor-
tation, secure against vehicle-based attacks, and conduct 
a feasibility assessment of introducing new security tech-
nologies and measures, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Surface Transportation 
Security Improvement Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional commit-
tees’’ means the Committee on Homeland Security of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
(2) PUBLIC
AND
PRIVATE
SECTOR
STAKE-
HOLDERS.—The term ‘‘public and private sector 
stakeholders’’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 114(u)(1)(C) of title 49, United States Code. 
(3) SURFACE
TRANSPORTATION
ASSET.—The 
term ‘‘surface transportation asset’’ includes facilities, 
equipment, or systems used to provide transportation 
services by— 
(A) a public transportation agency (as such 
term is defined in section 1402(5) of the Imple-
menting Recommendations of the 9/11 Commis-
sion Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–53; 6 U.S.C. 
1131(5))); 
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(B) a railroad carrier (as such term is de-
fined in section 20102(3) of title 49, United 
States Code); 
(C) an owner or operator of— 
(i) an entity offering scheduled, fixed- 
route transportation services by over-the- 
road bus (as such term is defined in section 
1501(4) of the Implementing Recommenda-
tions of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 
(Public Law 110–53; 6 U.S.C. 1151(4))); or 
(ii) a bus terminal; or 
(D) other transportation facilities, equip-
ment, or systems, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR TRANSPORTATION SECU-
RITY REVIEW. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall evaluate the degree to which the 2016 Biennial Na-
tional Strategy for Transportation Security, as required 
pursuant to section 114(s) of title 49, United States Code, 
that was issued on August 11, 2016, by the Administrator 
of the Transportation Security Administration, is reflected 
in Federal transportation security programs, budgets, re-
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search, staffing levels, and related efforts and, in carrying 
out such evaluation, shall consider the degree to which— 
(1) such strategy is sufficiently forward-looking 
to guide future Federal efforts relating to transpor-
tation security; 
(2) Federal transportation security programs, 
budgets, research, staffing levels, and related efforts 
for fiscal year 2018 and beyond are guided by such 
strategy; and 
(3) the annual progress reports submitted to 
Congress pursuant to such section subsequent to the 
issuance of such strategy provide information on the 
degree to which such strategy guides Federal efforts 
relating to transportation security. 
SEC. 4. RISK SCENARIOS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall annually develop, consistent with the transpor-
tation modal security plans required under section 114(s) 
of title 49, United States Code, risk-based priorities based 
on risk assessments conducted or received by the Secretary 
across all transportation modes that consider threats, 
vulnerabilities, and consequences. 
(b) SCENARIOS.—The Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall ensure that the risk-based priorities identified pursu-
ant to subsection (a) are informed by an analysis of ter-
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rorist attack scenarios for each transportation mode, in-
cluding cyber attack scenarios and intelligence and open 
source information about current and evolving threats. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after each de-
velopment of risk-based priorities under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report that includes the 
following: 
(1) Copies of the risk assessments for each trans-
portation mode. 
(2) A summary that ranks the risks within and 
across modes. 
(3) A description of the risk-based priorities for 
securing the transportation sector that identifies and 
prioritizes the greatest security needs of such trans-
portation sector, both across and within modes, in the 
order that such priorities should be addressed. 
(4) Information on the underlying methodologies 
used to assess risks across and within each transpor-
tation mode and the basis for any assumptions re-
garding threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences 
made in assessing and prioritizing risks within each 
such mode and across modes. 
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(d) 
CLASSIFICATION.—The 
information 
provided 
under subsection (c) may be submitted in a classified for-
mat or unclassified format, as appropriate. 
SEC. 5. ASSESSMENTS AND SECURITY PLANS; FRONTLINE 
EMPLOYEE SECURITY TRAINING. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Se-
curity shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees and the Inspector General of the Department of 
Homeland Security a report on— 
(1) the status of regulations requiring assess-
ments and security plans as specified in sections 
1405, 1512, and 1531 of the Implementing Rec-
ommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 
U.S.C. 1134, 1162, and 1181) that includes a 
timeline for the issuance of a final rulemaking subse-
quent to the December 16, 2016, publication in the 
Federal Register of an advance notice of proposed 
rulemaking; and 
(2) the status of regulations for a security train-
ing program to prepare transportation employees for 
potential security threats and conditions as specified 
in sections 1408, 1517, and 1534 of the Implementing 
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 
(6 U.S.C. 1137, 1167, and 1184) that includes a 
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timeline for the issuance of a final rulemaking subse-
quent to the December 16, 2016, publication in the 
Federal Register of a notice of proposed rulemaking. 
(b) INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW.—Not later than 
120 days after submission of the report under subsection 
(a), the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland 
Security shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a review of such report that includes information 
on— 
(1) departmental efforts to finalize rulemaking; 
and 
(2) recommendations, as necessary, to ensure im-
plementation of the regulations referred to in such 
subsection. 
SEC. 6. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) EMERGING ISSUES.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home-
land Security, acting through the Under Secretary for 
Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Se-
curity and in coordination with the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration, shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a feasibility as-
sessment of modifying the security of surface transportation 
assets by— 
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(1) introducing next generation technologies to be 
integrated into systems of surface transportation as-
sets to detect explosives, including through the deploy-
ment of mobile explosives detection technologies to 
conduct risk-based passenger and property screening 
at such systems; 
(2) providing surface transportation asset opera-
tors with access to the Transportation Security Ad-
ministration’s Secure Flight Program or a similar 
passenger vetting system maintained by the Trans-
portation Security Administration; 
(3) deploying a credential authentication tech-
nology or other means of identification document in-
spection to high-risk surface transportation assets to 
assist operators conducting passenger vetting; and 
(4) deploying scalable, cost-effective technology 
solutions to detect chemical, biological, radiological, 
nuclear, or explosive threats within high-risk surface 
transportation assets that are capable of passive, con-
tinuous, and real-time sensing and detection of, and 
alerting passengers and operating personnel to, the 
presence of such a threat. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out the assessment 
required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, acting through the Under Secretary for Science 
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and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security 
and in coordination with the Administrator of the Trans-
portation Security Administration, shall address the tech-
nological, privacy, operational, passenger facilitation, and 
public acceptance considerations involved with each secu-
rity measure contemplated in such assessment. 
SEC. 7. BEST PRACTICES TO SECURE AGAINST VEHICLE- 
BASED ATTACKS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall dis-
seminate best practices to public and private sector stake-
holders regarding how to enhance transportation security 
against the threat of a vehicle-based terrorist attack. 
SEC. 8. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION STAKEHOLDER SUR-
VEY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall begin conducting a survey of public and pri-
vate stakeholders responsible for securing surface transpor-
tation assets regarding resource challenges, including the 
availability of Federal funding, associated with securing 
such assets that provides an opportunity for respondents to 
set forth information on specific unmet needs. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after beginning 
the survey required under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
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Homeland Security shall report to the appropriate congres-
sional committees regarding the results of such survey and 
the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to address 
any identified security vulnerabilities. 
SEC. 9. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND CAPABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Trans-
portation Security Administration may establish a task 
force to collaborate with public and private sector stake-
holders to identify and develop an innovative technology or 
capability with the potential to enhance transportation se-
curity, including by— 
(1) conducting a field demonstration of such a 
technology or capability in an operational environ-
ment; 
(2) gathering performance data from such a 
demonstration to inform the acquisition process; and 
(3) to the extent practicable, providing funding 
and promoting efforts to enable participation in a 
demonstration by a small business that has an inno-
vative technology or capability but does not have ade-
quate resources to participate in a field demonstra-
tion under paragraph (1). 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The task force authorized under 
subsection (a) shall be chaired by the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration’s designee and 
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comprised of representatives appointed by the Adminis-
trator, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Aviation 
Security Advisory Committee (established pursuant to sec-
tion 44946 of title 49, United States Code). 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—The chair of the task force shall— 
(1) evaluate technologies and capabilities for 
field demonstrations with potential to enhance surface 
transportation security, in addition to technologies 
and capabilities with potential to enhance aviation 
security; 
(2) coordinate with the Science and Technology 
Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security 
to leverage such technologies and capabilities; and 
(3) submit to the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity an annual report regarding the task force’s ac-
tivities that identifies, for each such technology or ca-
pability, what mode of transportation could be en-
hanced by the integration of such technology or capa-
bility into security operations and, as appropriate, 
plans for deploying such technology or capability. 
(d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section 
shall require the Administrator of the Transportation Secu-
rity Administration to acquire an innovative technology or 
capability. 
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