Passenger Rail Station Security Report Act
Bill: H.R.8291 | Sponsor: Rep. Torres, Ritchie (D-NY)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Passenger Rail Station Security Report Act
This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration to submit a report to Congress on counterterrorism security at the five largest passenger rails stations by annual ridership and a representative sample of eight other-sized passenger rail stations.
The report must contain (1) an analysis of the effectiveness of counterterrorism measures implemented in each passenger rail station to include prevention systems; (2) a description of any actions directed as a result of the analysis; (3) recommendations for passenger rail station owners and operators, and state and local transportation entities to improve counterterrorism measures; and (4) proposals for legislative actions and funding needed to improve counterterrorism measures.

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to 
    Congress on counterterrorism security at certain passenger rail 
                   stations, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Passenger Rail Station Security 
Report Act''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON IMPROVING COUNTERTERRORISM SECURITY AT PASSENGER RAIL 
              STATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the 
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Administrator of the 
United States Fire Administration, passenger rail station owners and 
operators, State and local transportation entities, and other agencies 
or stakeholders as determined appropriate by the Secretary, shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 5 
largest passenger rail stations by annual ridership and a 
representative sample of 8 other-sized passenger rail stations that 
contains the following:
            (1) An analysis of the effectiveness of counterterrorism 
        measures implemented in each passenger rail station to include 
        prevention systems, including--
                    (A) surveillance systems, including cameras, and 
                physical law enforcement presence;
                    (B) response systems including--
                            (i) evacuation systems to allow passengers 
                        and workers to egress the stations, mezzanines, 
                        and rail cars;
                            (ii) fire safety measures, including 
                        ventilation and fire suppression systems; and
                            (iii) public alert systems; and
                    (C) recovery systems, including coordination with 
                State and Federal agencies.
            (2) A description of any actions directed as a result of 
        the analysis conducted under paragraph (1).
            (3) Recommendations, as appropriate, for passenger rail 
        station owners and operators, and State and local 
        transportation entities to improve counterterrorism measures 
        outlined in paragraph (1).
            (4) Proposals, as appropriate, for legislative actions and 
        funding needed to improve counterterrorism measures.
    (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee 
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate.
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