Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 12, 2006

In The Wake Of New Attacks, Schumer, Menendez, Clinton Offer Amendment Boost Funding For Mass Transit Security In Homeland Security Bill

With Two New Threats Revealed in As Many Months, How Many Wake-Up Calls Do the Feds Need?

Homeland Security Appropriations Bill On Senate Floor This Week, Schumer, Menendez, Clinton to Offer Amendments to Provide an Additional $300 million in Federal Funding for New York and New Jersey and Transit Security

With yesterday’s tragic bombing of trains in India and the recent revelation of two new terror plots against New York area transportation systems, today U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer, Robert Menendez and Hillary Rodham Clinton announced they are going to offer an amendment to provide an additional $300 million to beef up mass transit security to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill which is on the Senate floor this week.

“It’s shocking that after two confirmed terror threats to New York in as many months Secretary Chertoff remains as stubborn as he has been,” Schumer said. “I don’t know how many wake-up calls Chertoff needs before he understands that New York is in the crosshairs of those who wish to do us harm. The feds need to help us protect New York, instead of asking us to fight terror blindfolded with one hand tied behind our backs”

“Yesterday’s tragic bombings in India are just one more warning to a Republican Congress that continues to fiddle when it comes to transit security,” Menendez said. “What would we be willing to do, what commitment would we be willing to make, if yesterday’s news had been about trains in New Brunswick, New York, Atlanta, or any other American city? We cannot wait for an attack on American soil. We must make the commitment to real mass transit security now.”

"It is unconscionable that nearly five years after 9/11, this Administration and the Republican leadership still will not act to address the vulnerabilities we face to our homeland security. Millions of New Yorkers use our transit system everyday and we have to ensure that we are doing everything we can to keep them safe. Yesterday's tragic attacks in Mumbai are yet another vivid reminder of the vulnerability we face here at home and if the Administration won't recognize the threat and take action, we will," said Senator Clinton.

In light of these significant funding cuts and the lack of overall funding dedicated to beefing up subway and bus security in New York and across the country, the senator’s announced their plans to offer an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill which is on the Senate floor on Monday. The senators’ amendment would increase funding for transit security by $300 million on top of $150 million already in the bill and would specifically:

• Provide an additional $200 million for DHS’s Transit Security grant program on top of $150 million already in the bill. The transit security grant program provides critical funding to subway and bus operators across the country, allowing them to purchase vital security equipment, such as closed circuit television systems and bomb sniffing dogs.

• Create a $50 million transit security competitive research and development grant program. The new program would give out grants to universities, private companies, and governments to develop chemical, biological, radiological, and explosive detectors for mass transit stations, rail cars, and buses.

• Provide $50 million to reimburse local law enforcement agencies for staff overtime incurred during periods of high alert. The primary expense incurred by the city during times of heightened alert is overtime for law enforcement and first responders. In light of this recent threat, the NYPD deployed armed police officers at tunnels across the city. In addition, during past periods of high alert, the city has stationed a police officer at every subway station and platform in the city.

Senators Schumer, Clinton, and Mikulski also said today that they are going to introduce an amendment with to restore Homeland Security funding to 2005 funding levels – which provided New York and Maryland with adequate funding for its needs. It would bring funding levels for the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), the funding for high threat areas (NYC’s share was cut 40% this year) back to the 2005 levels as well as restore the other homeland security grant programs.

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