All Aboard the Security Train

A group of Congressmen will be pushing legislation this year to improverail security across the nation. CSO reports that while legislators feel that rail security has taken abackseat to other antiterrorism funding, rail-related trade groups arenot very excited about the initiative and say that it will meanincreased costs to them and the consumer. There are currently six railsecurity bills that have been introduced, many having similarprovisions, but none have moved out of committee. Five of them call fora rail-vulnerability assessment to be conducted by the Department ofHomeland Security. Collectively, the rail security bills are callingfor cargo screening recommendations, DHS rail-vulnerabilityassessments, funding for Amtrak security improvements, money forrail-security R&D grants, training for emergency responders, tunnelimprovements, and whistle-blower protections for rail employees. Read more.