Secure Transit and Rail Across America and Invest in National Security Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-3270
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Introduced: 2005-07-13 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Animals
Armed Forces and National Security
Biological warfare
Bridges
Cameras
Chemical warfare
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Closed-circuit television
Commerce
Computer security measures
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction industries
Construction workers
Cost accounting
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Damages
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Labor
Department of Transportation
Disciplining of employees
Discrimination in employment
Dismissal of employees
District of Columbia
Dogs
Drainage
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric power failures
Electronic surveillance
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Employee rights
Employee training
Energy
Environmental Protection
Evacuation of civilians
Evidence (Law)
Explosives
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to law enforcement
Federal aid to research
Federal aid to transportation
Federal employees
Fines (Penalties)
Fire fighters
Fire prevention
Fraud
Freight
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government corporations
Government liability
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Grievance procedures
Health
Higher education
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Labor and Employment
Law
Law enforcement officers
Legal fees
Light rail transit
Lighting
Marine terminals
Maryland
Mass rapid transit
Minimum wages
Motor buses
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
New York City
Nuclear terrorism
Occupational health and safety
Paramedical personnel
Police
Police training
Private police
Public service advertising
Punitive damages
Railroad commuting traffic
Railroad employees
Railroad engineering
Railroad freight operations
Railroad passenger traffic
Railroad safety
Railroad terminals
Railroads
Research and development
Research centers
Research grants
Risk
Sabotage
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Ships
Standards
Subcontractors
Subways
Tankers
Technological innovations
Terminals (Transportation)
Terrorism
Trade secrets
Traffic engineering
Transportation engineering
Transportation of hazardous substances
Transportation planning
Transportation research
Transportation safety
Transportation workers
Tunnels
Wage restitution
Wages
Waste in government spending
Water Resources Development
Whistle blowing

Summary:
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: 
Secure Transit and Rail Across America and Invest in National Security Act of 2005, or the Secure Trains Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) submit to Congress the National Strategy for Transportation Security within 30 days after enactment of this Act; and (2) develop certain supplemental requirements, including prioritized recommendations for improving public transportation and railroad security.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to improve the security of public transportation systems against acts of terrorism.
 

 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) report to owners, operators, and providers of public transportation systems and specified others on best practices for the security of public transportation systems; (2) develop a national plan for public outreach and awareness of measures the public can take to increase such security; and (3) establish National Transportation Security Centers at institutions of higher education.
 
Sets forth certain whistleblower protections for Department of Homeland Security employees and federal contractors or subcontractors who provided information or otherwise assisted in an investigation of violations of any law or regulation related to national or homeland security, filed or participated in a proceeding related to such violation, or refused to violate or assist in the violation. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations of such protections.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for freight and passenger rail (including hazardous materials transportation) security upgrades.
 
Authorizes appropriations for Amtrak for certain fire and life-safety improvements to specified tunnels along the Northeast Corridor.
 
Establishes a research and development (R&D) program to improve railroad security.
 
Requires the Secretary to issue guidelines for a rail worker security training program.
 
Sets forth certain whistleblower protections for rail employees or other persons providing information about perceived security threats.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) analyze the cost and feasibility of requiring security screening for passengers, baggage, and cargo on passenger trains; (2) issue certain emergency responder training standards; and (3) provide grants to the Operation Respond Institute.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-07-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology.
action_date: 2005-07-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads.
action_date: 2005-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H5887-5888)
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1483)
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-07-13
text: Introduced in House