Hollings Proposes $1.2-Billion Passenger-Rail Security Bill
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks against railroads in Spain, several Senators have proposed $1.2 billion in federal funds to upgrade passenger rail security in the U.S. The bill, introduced March 12, includes $777 million to make improvements to several Amtrak and commuter rail tunnels in the Northeast plus $515 million for the Dept. of Homeland Security. The DHS aid would go to carry out recommendations stemming a study of rail security that the bill also mandates.
Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (D-S.C.), who introduced the rail bill, noted that the Commerce committee had approved a similar measure twice before, but it didn't come up for a floor vote. Hollings, the senior Democrat on the commerce panel, says, "We've got to get serious and get this thing passed."