Title: Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2019
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2019
This bill addresses threat information sharing and law enforcement training regarding the enhancement of security for surface transportation assets. (A surface transportation asset includes facilities, equipment, or systems used to provide transportation services by a public transportation carrier, railroad carrier, or an entity offering scheduled, fixed-route transportation services by bus.)
Specifically, the bill


[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2539 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2539

    To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize the 
   assignment of certain officers and intelligence analysts from the 
 Transportation Security Administration and the Office of Intelligence 
 and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security to locations with 
      participating State, local, and regional fusion centers in 
jurisdictions with a high-risk surface transportation asset in order to 
  enhance the security of such assets, including by improving timely 
    sharing of classified information regarding terrorist and other 
                    threats, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2019

 Ms. Barragan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize the 
   assignment of certain officers and intelligence analysts from the 
 Transportation Security Administration and the Office of Intelligence 
 and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security to locations with 
      participating State, local, and regional fusion centers in 
jurisdictions with a high-risk surface transportation asset in order to 
  enhance the security of such assets, including by improving timely 
    sharing of classified information regarding terrorist and other 
                    threats, 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 ``Strengthening Local Transportation 
Security Capabilities Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Public and private sector stakeholders.--The term 
        ``public and private sector stakeholders'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 114(u)(1)(C) of title 49, United 
        States Code.
            (2) 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 Implementing 
                Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 
                (Public Law 110-53; 6 U.S.C. 1131(5)));
                    (B) a railroad carrier (as such term is defined 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 Recommendations 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, equipment, or 
                systems, as determined by the Secretary.

SEC. 3. THREAT INFORMATION SHARING.

    (a) Prioritization.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
prioritize the assignment of officers and intelligence analysts under 
section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h) from 
the Transportation Security Administration and, as appropriate, from 
the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland 
Security, to locations with participating State, local, and regional 
fusion centers in jurisdictions with a high-risk surface transportation 
asset in order to enhance the security of such assets, including by 
improving timely sharing of classified information regarding terrorist 
and other threats.
    (b) Intelligence Products.--Officers and intelligence analysts 
assigned to locations with participating State, local, and regional 
fusion centers under this section shall participate in the generation 
and dissemination of transportation security intelligence products, 
with an emphasis on terrorist and other threats to surface 
transportation assets that--
            (1) assist State, local, and Tribal law enforcement 
        agencies in deploying their resources, including personnel, 
        most efficiently to help detect, prevent, investigate, 
        apprehend, and respond to terrorist and other threats;
            (2) promote more consistent and timely sharing of threat 
        information among jurisdictions; and
            (3) enhance the Department of Homeland Security's 
        situational awareness of such terrorist and other threats.
    (c) Clearances.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall make 
available to appropriate owners and operators of surface transportation 
assets, and to any other person that the Secretary determines 
appropriate to foster greater sharing of classified information 
relating to terrorist and other threats to surface transportation 
assets, the process of application for security clearances under 
Executive Order No. 13549 (75 Fed. Reg. 162; relating to a classified 
national security information program) or any successor Executive 
order.

SEC. 4. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SECURITY TRAINING.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
consultation with public and private sector stakeholders, may develop, 
through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, a training 
program to enhance the protection, preparedness, and response 
capabilities of law enforcement agencies with respect to terrorist and 
other threats at a surface transportation asset.
    (b) Requirements.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security develops 
the training program described in subsection (a), such training program 
shall--
            (1) be informed by current information regarding terrorist 
        tactics;
            (2) include tactical instruction tailored to the diverse 
        nature of the surface transportation asset operational 
        environment; and
            (3) prioritize training officers from law enforcement 
        agencies that are eligible for or receive grants under sections 
        2003 or 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 604 
        and 605) and officers employed by railroad carriers that 
        operate passenger service, including interstate passenger 
        service.
                                 <all>