WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has set $625 million in its war supplemental bill to pay for rail and transit guards.
The panel says this is just a start on $6 billion worth of security upgrades needed to protect national rail and transit systems from terrorist attacks.
"Despite the train bombings in London, Madrid, Moscow, Tokyo and Mambai, the (Department of Homeland Security) has limited its response to issuing unenforceable policy directives, two very limited pilot programs and distributing limited amounts of money to secure rail and transit facilities," the committee states in its report on S. 965, the $121 billion war supplemental for fiscal year 2007.
According to the report, passenger rail systems carry roughly five times as many passengers daily as airlines do, and the stations -- both railroad and commuter train -- are designed for ease of access rather than security, making them especially vulnerable.
Commercial airline travel, however, also netted additional funds: $600 million to install an in line explosive detection baggage system, which would close the fiscal year 2007 funding gap of $1.1 billion to install the systems at the nation's top 25 airports.
It also provides $60 million to doubles the number of air cargo security inspectors from 300 to 600, and adds 100 canine explosive detection teams, up from 422 teams. The bill also provides for $15 million to increase the number of federal air marshals available for flying on domestic airlines.
The bill must now be approved by the full Senate and then th4e difference worked out with the House version of the supplemental, which was approved last week. A final version of the bill will then be approved by both houses and sent to the president for his signature.
