“It directs Congress to include railway transportation in the development of transportation security plans and budgets by the intelligence community,” he said.
Information about a possible attack on the U.S. rail system was found amid the documents and hard drives recovered during the raid in which bin Laden was killed. It prompted numerous calls for stepping up train security. Transportation advocacy groups called for increased funding. One lawmaker, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), called for creating a “Do Not Ride” list patterned after airports’ no-fly list.
Carney’s legislation did not address that suggestion, but he said it was time security officials evened the amount of attention they focus on railways with airports.
“The 9/11 Commission Report found that over 90 percent of the nation’s annual investment in transportation security is spent on aviation security,” he said. “While addressing security vulnerabilities within aviation is critical, this allocation leaves too little for surface transportation security, particularly on our rail systems.”
Carney pointed out that the recent budget deal to avert a government shutdown cut funding for rail and port security by $50 million.
The House later approved the larger intelligence appropriations bill.