Hearing: “Securing Our Nation’s Mass Transit Systems Against a Terrorist Attack”

On Wednesday, May 4, 2011, the Committee on Homeland Security will hold a hearing entitled “Securing Our Nation’s Mass Transit Systems Against a Terrorist Attack.”  The Committee will meet at 10:00 a.m. in 311 Cannon House Office Building.

Chairman King on the hearing:

“We must ensure that our highest-risk mass transit systems receive the funding and assistance they need from the federal government.  I am pleased that we will hear from TSA Administrator Pistole, FEMA Administrator Fugate, and officials from New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco.  Each day, millions of Americans rely on our Nation’s mass transit systems, which present security challenges due to their many access points and minimal passenger screening.  We know that terrorists are seeking to attack these systems;  in just the past two years, we’ve seen arrests of men who planned to blow up the New York City and Washington, D.C. subway systems.  A successful attack on a train or bus in one of our cities would not only injure or kill innocent passengers, but would also have devastating economic implications across the country.  We need to examine and address the vulnerabilities that exist.”