Anti-Terrorism Protection of Mass Transportation and Railroad Carriers Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4008
Sponsor: Rep. Shays, Christopher [R-CT-4]
Introduced: 2004-03-18 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Arson
Assassination
Biological warfare
Bombings
Bridges
Capital punishment
Chemical warfare
Conspiracy
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Destruction of property
EBB Terrorism
Electronic surveillance
Energy
Environmental Protection
Explosives
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Homicide
Infrastructure
International Affairs
Kidnapping
Labor and Employment
Life imprisonment
Mandatory sentences
Marine safety
Marine terminals
Mass rapid transit
Murder
Nuclear fuels
Nuclear terrorism
Radioactive wastes
Railroad employees
Railroad equipment
Railroad freight operations
Railroad passenger traffic
Railroad safety
Railroad terminals
Railroads
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Ships
Terminals (Transportation)
Terrorism
Traffic accidents and safety
Traffic signs and signals
Transportation of hazardous substances
Transportation safety
Transportation workers
Tunnels
Weapons
Wiretapping

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-18
text: 
Anti-Terrorism Protection of Mass Transportation and Railroad Carriers Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit specified attacks and acts of violence against mass transportation systems and against railroad carriers, including derailing a train, placing a biological agent or toxin in or near a mass transportation vehicle, setting fire to a terminal, committing an act with intent to cause serious bodily injury to a railroad employee, and conveying false information concerning an attempt to commit such a crime. Lists circumstances resulting in aggravated offenses. Sets penalties for violations.
 
Authorizes: (1) the interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications in cases involving domestic or international terrorism and involving other specified offenses (such as violence at international airports, an attack on a Federal facility with a firearm, and conspiracy to harm persons or property overseas); and (2) the use of an emergency pen register or trap and trace device in cases involving domestic or international terrorism or conspiratorial activities threatening the national security interest.
 
Modifies the definition of: (1) &quot;Federal crime of terrorism&quot; to include an offense that appears by its nature or context to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnaping; and (2) &quot;international terrorism&quot; to include listed actions that appear &quot;by their nature or context&quot; to be intended to intimidate, influence, or affect governmental conduct.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2004-03-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-03-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E412)
action_date: 2004-03-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-18
text: Introduced in House