Legislation introduced to Congress this year would provide
more than $11 billion in grant funds for homeland security
initiatives related to transportation, border and port
security, according to a report from INPUT, a government
IT business consultant.
It said HR-153, the “rail and public transportation act
of 2005,” proposes $7.5 billion to be spent over five
years for rail and public transportation security, most
of which would go toward preventing “the seizure of
communications and infrastructure, as well as respond
to any type of attack, whether chemical, biological,
radiological, nuclear, or explosive in nature,” and
the bill outlines the need for interoperable
communications systems, transit protection, employee
security training and increased surveillance.
Border and port security is the focus of several bills,
such as S-12, the “targeting terrorists more effectively
act of 2005,” valued at $3.5 billion over five years and
aimed at big projects such as implementing radiation
detection portal equipment and integrated cargo
inspection systems.
“Anxiety over the safety of our major roadways and
points of entry has produced a large number of aggressive
and valuable technology grant programs covering many
facets of transportation and border security,” said
Suzy Haleen, manager of grant products at INPUT.
