Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2019

IIB 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2539 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 11, 2019 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs AN ACT To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize the assignment of certain officers and intelligence ana- lysts from the Transportation Security Administration and the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Depart- ment of Homeland Security to locations with partici- pating State, local, and regional fusion centers in juris- dictions with a high-risk surface transportation asset in order to enhance the security of such assets, including by improving timely sharing of classified information re- garding terrorist and other threats, and for other pur- poses. VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H2539.RFS H2539 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 HR 2539 RFS Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening Local 4 Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 In this Act: 7 (1) PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR STAKE- 8 HOLDERS.—The term ‘‘public and private sector 9 stakeholders’’ has the meaning given such term in 10 section 114(u)(1)(C) of title 49, United States Code. 11 (2) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION ASSET.—The 12 term ‘‘surface transportation asset’’ includes facili- 13 ties, equipment, or systems used to provide transpor- 14 tation services by— 15 (A) a public transportation agency (as 16 such term is defined in section 1402(5) of the 17 Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 18 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–53; 19 6 U.S.C. 1131(5))); 20 (B) a railroad carrier (as such term is de- 21 fined in section 20102(3) of title 49, United 22 States Code); 23 (C) an owner or operator of— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2539.RFS H2539 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 HR 2539 RFS (i) an entity offering scheduled, fixed- 1 route transportation services by over-the- 2 road bus (as such term is defined in sec- 3 tion 1501(4) of the Implementing Rec- 4 ommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act 5 of 2007 (Public Law 110–53; 6 U.S.C. 6 1151(4))); or 7 (ii) a bus terminal; or 8 (D) other transportation facilities, equip- 9 ment, or systems, as determined by the Sec- 10 retary. 11 SEC. 3. THREAT INFORMATION SHARING. 12 (a) PRIORITIZATION.—The Secretary of Homeland 13 Security shall prioritize the assignment of officers and in- 14 telligence analysts under section 210A of the Homeland 15 Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h) from the Transpor- 16 tation Security Administration and, as appropriate, from 17 the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department 18 of Homeland Security, to locations with participating 19 State, local, and regional fusion centers in jurisdictions 20 with a high-risk surface transportation asset in order to 21 enhance the security of such assets, including by improv- 22 ing timely sharing of classified information regarding ter- 23 rorist and other threats. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2539.RFS H2539 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 HR 2539 RFS (b) INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTS.—Officers and intel- 1 ligence analysts assigned to locations with participating 2 State, local, and regional fusion centers under this section 3 shall participate in the generation and dissemination of 4 transportation security intelligence products, with an em- 5 phasis on terrorist and other threats to surface transpor- 6 tation assets that— 7 (1) assist State, local, and Tribal law enforce- 8 ment agencies in deploying their resources, including 9 personnel, most efficiently to help detect, prevent, 10 investigate, apprehend, and respond to terrorist and 11 other threats; 12 (2) promote more consistent and timely sharing 13 of threat information among jurisdictions; and 14 (3) enhance the Department of Homeland Secu- 15 rity’s situational awareness of such terrorist and 16 other threats. 17 (c) CLEARANCES.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu- 18 rity shall make available to appropriate owners and opera- 19 tors of surface transportation assets, and to any other per- 20 son that the Secretary determines appropriate to foster 21 greater sharing of classified information relating to ter- 22 rorist and other threats to surface transportation assets, 23 the process of application for security clearances under 24 Executive Order No. 13549 (75 Fed. Reg. 162; relating 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2539.RFS H2539 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 5 HR 2539 RFS to a classified national security information program) or 1 any successor Executive order. 2 SEC. 4. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SECURITY TRAINING. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu- 4 rity, in consultation with public and private sector stake- 5 holders, may develop, through the Federal Law Enforce- 6 ment Training Centers, a training program to enhance the 7 protection, preparedness, and response capabilities of law 8 enforcement agencies with respect to terrorist and other 9 threats at a surface transportation asset. 10 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—If the Secretary of Homeland 11 Security develops the training program described in sub- 12 section (a), such training program shall— 13 (1) be informed by current information regard- 14 ing terrorist tactics; 15 (2) include tactical instruction tailored to the 16 diverse nature of the surface transportation asset 17 operational environment; and 18 (3) prioritize training officers from law enforce- 19 ment agencies that are eligible for or receive grants 20 under sections 2003 or 2004 of the Homeland Secu- 21 rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 604 and 605) and offi- 22 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2539.RFS H2539 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 6 HR 2539 RFS cers employed by railroad carriers that operate pas- 1 senger service, including interstate passenger service. 2 Passed the House of Representatives June 10, 2019. Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, Clerk. VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2539.RFS H2539 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS