H. R. 1—197 
(12) Other security training activities that the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(d) REQUIRED PROGRAMS.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT
AND
SUBMISSION
TO
SECRETARY.—Not 
later than 90 days after the Secretary issues the regulations 
under subsection (a), each over-the-road bus operator shall 
develop a security training program in accordance with such 
regulations and submit the program to the Secretary for 
approval. 
(2) APPROVAL.—Not later than 60 days after receiving a 
security training program under this subsection, the Secretary 
shall approve the program or require the over-the-road bus 
operator that developed the program to make any revisions 
to the program that the Secretary considers necessary for the 
program to meet the requirements of the regulations. An over- 
the-road bus operator shall respond to the Secretary’s comments 
not later than 30 days after receiving them. 
(3) TRAINING.—Not later than 1 year after the Secretary 
approves a security training program in accordance with this 
subsection, the over-the-road bus operator that developed the 
program shall complete the training of all over-the-road bus 
frontline employees who were hired by the operator more than 
30 days preceding such date. For such employees employed 
less than 30 days by an operator preceding such date, training 
shall be completed within the first 60 days of employment. 
(4) UPDATES OF REGULATIONS AND PROGRAM REVISIONS.— 
The Secretary shall periodically review and update, as appro-
priate, the training regulations issued under subsection (a) 
to reflect new or changing security threats. Each over-the- 
road bus operator shall revise its training program accordingly 
and provide additional training as necessary to its employees 
within a reasonable time after the regulations are updated. 
(e) NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that the training program developed under subsection (a) is a 
component of the National Training Program established under 
section 648 of the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform 
Act (Public Law 109–295; 6 U.S.C. 748). 
(f) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of regulation issuance, the Secretary shall review 
implementation of the training program of a representative sample 
of over-the-road bus operators and over-the-road bus frontline 
employees, and report to the appropriate congressional committees 
of such reviews. The Secretary may submit the report in both 
classified and redacted formats as necessary. 
SEC. 1535. OVER-THE-ROAD BUS SECURITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAM.—The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for 
Science and Technology and the Administrator of the Transportation 
Security Administration, shall carry out a research and development 
program for the purpose of improving the security of over-the- 
road buses. 
(b) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—The research and development pro-
gram may include projects— 
(1) to reduce the vulnerability of over-the-road buses, sta-
tions, terminals, and equipment to explosives and hazardous
H. R. 1—198 
chemical, biological, and radioactive substances, including the 
development of technology to screen passengers in large num-
bers with minimal interference and disruption; 
(2) to test new emergency response and recovery techniques 
and technologies, including those used at international borders; 
(3) to develop improved technologies, including those for— 
(A) emergency response training, including training 
in a tunnel environment, if appropriate; and 
(B) security and redundancy for critical communica-
tions, electrical power, computer, and over-the-road bus 
control systems; and 
(4) to address other vulnerabilities and risks identified 
by the Secretary. 
(c) COORDINATION WITH OTHER RESEARCH INITIATIVES.—The 
Secretary— 
(1) shall ensure that the research and development program 
is consistent with the other transportation security research 
and development programs required by this Act; 
(2) shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate the research 
and development activities of the Department with other 
ongoing research and development security-related initiatives, 
including research being conducted by— 
(A) the Department of Transportation, including 
University Transportation Centers and other institutes, 
centers, and simulators funded by the Department of 
Transportation; 
(B) the National Academy of Sciences; 
(C) the Technical Support Working Group; 
(D) other Federal departments and agencies; and 
(E) other Federal and private research laboratories, 
research entities, and institutions of higher education, 
including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, His-
panic Serving Institutions, and Indian Tribally Controlled 
Colleges and Universities; 
(3) shall carry out any research and development project 
authorized by this section through a reimbursable agreement 
with an appropriate Federal agency, if the agency— 
(A) is currently sponsoring a research and development 
project in a similar area; or 
(B) has a unique facility or capability that would be 
useful in carrying out the project; 
(4) may award grants and enter into cooperative agree-
ments, contracts, other transactions, or reimbursable agree-
ments to the entities described in paragraph (2) and eligible 
recipients under section 1532; and 
(5) shall make reasonable efforts to enter into memoranda 
of understanding, contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, 
or other transactions with private operators providing over- 
the-road bus transportation willing to contribute assets, phys-
ical space, and other resources. 
(d) PRIVACY AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES.— 
(1) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out research and develop-
ment 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 222 of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002.
H. R. 1—199 
(2) PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS.—In accordance with sec-
tions 222 and 705 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, 
the Chief Privacy Officer shall conduct privacy impact assess-
ments and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties shall 
conduct reviews, as appropriate, for research and development 
initiatives developed under this section that the Secretary 
determines could have an impact on privacy, civil rights, or 
civil liberties. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—From the amounts appropriated pursuant 
to section 114(w) of title 49, United States Code, as amended 
by section 1503 of this Act, there shall be made available 
to the Secretary to carry out this section— 
(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
(B) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(C) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 
(D) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. 
(2) PERIOD
OF
AVAILABILITY.—Such sums shall remain 
available until expended. 
SEC. 1536. MOTOR CARRIER EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS. 
Section 31105 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
to read: 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITIONS.—(1) A person may not discharge an 
employee, or discipline or discriminate against an employee 
regarding pay, terms, or privileges of employment, because— 
‘‘(A)(i) the employee, or another person at the employee’s 
request, has filed a complaint or begun a proceeding related 
to a violation of a commercial motor vehicle safety or security 
regulation, standard, or order, or has testified or will testify 
in such a proceeding; or 
‘‘(ii) the person perceives that the employee has filed or 
is about to file a complaint or has begun or is about to begin 
a proceeding related to a violation of a commercial motor vehicle 
safety or security regulation, standard, or order; 
‘‘(B) the employee refuses to operate a vehicle because— 
‘‘(i) the operation violates a regulation, standard, or 
order of the United States related to commercial motor 
vehicle safety, health, or security; or 
‘‘(ii) the employee has a reasonable apprehension of 
serious injury to the employee or the public because of 
the vehicle’s hazardous safety or security condition; 
‘‘(C) the employee accurately reports hours on duty pursu-
ant to chapter 315; 
‘‘(D) the employee cooperates, or the person perceives that 
the employee is about to cooperate, with a safety or security 
investigation by the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, or the National Transportation Safety 
Board; or 
‘‘(E) the employee furnishes, or the person perceives that 
the employee is or is about to furnish, information to the 
Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity, the National Transportation Safety Board, or any Federal, 
State, or local regulatory or law enforcement agency as to 
the facts relating to any accident or incident resulting in injury 
or death to an individual or damage to property occurring 
in connection with commercial motor vehicle transportation.
H. R. 1—200 
‘‘(2) Under paragraph (1)(B)(ii) of this subsection, an employee’s 
apprehension of serious injury is reasonable only if a reasonable 
individual in the circumstances then confronting the employee 
would conclude that the hazardous safety or security condition 
establishes a real danger of accident, injury, or serious impairment 
to health. To qualify for protection, the employee must have sought 
from the employer, and been unable to obtain, correction of the 
hazardous safety or security condition. 
‘‘(b) FILING COMPLAINTS AND PROCEDURES.—(1) An employee 
alleging discharge, discipline, or discrimination in violation of sub-
section (a) of this section, or another person at the employee’s 
request, may file a complaint with the Secretary of Labor not 
later than 180 days after the alleged violation occurred. All com-
plaints initiated under this section shall be governed by the legal 
burdens of proof set forth in section 42121(b). On receiving the 
complaint, the Secretary of Labor shall notify, in writing, the person 
alleged to have committed the violation of the filing of the complaint. 
‘‘(2)(A) Not later than 60 days after receiving a complaint, 
the Secretary of Labor shall conduct an investigation, decide 
whether it is reasonable to believe the complaint has merit, and 
notify, in writing, the complainant and the person alleged to have 
committed the violation of the findings. If the Secretary of Labor 
decides it is reasonable to believe a violation occurred, the Secretary 
of Labor shall include with the decision findings and a preliminary 
order for the relief provided under paragraph (3) of this subsection. 
‘‘(B) Not later than 30 days after the notice under subparagraph 
(A) of this paragraph, the complainant and the person alleged 
to have committed the violation may file objections to the findings 
or preliminary order, or both, and request a hearing on the record. 
The filing of objections does not stay a reinstatement ordered in 
the preliminary order. If a hearing is not requested within the 
30 days, the preliminary order is final and not subject to judicial 
review. 
‘‘(C) A hearing shall be conducted expeditiously. Not later than 
120 days after the end of the hearing, the Secretary of Labor 
shall issue a final order. Before the final order is issued, the 
proceeding may be ended by a settlement agreement made by 
the Secretary of Labor, the complainant, and the person alleged 
to have committed the violation. 
‘‘(3)(A) If the Secretary of Labor decides, on the basis of a 
complaint, a person violated subsection (a) of this section, the 
Secretary of Labor shall order the person to— 
‘‘(i) take affirmative action to abate the violation; 
‘‘(ii) reinstate the complainant to the former position 
with the same pay and terms and privileges of employment; 
and 
‘‘(iii) pay compensatory damages, including backpay 
with interest and compensation for any special damages 
sustained as a result of the discrimination, including litiga-
tion costs, expert witness fees, and reasonable attorney 
fees. 
‘‘(B) If the Secretary of Labor issues an order under subpara-
graph (A) of this paragraph and the complainant requests, the 
Secretary of Labor may assess against the person against whom 
the order is issued the costs (including attorney fees) reasonably