London attacks fuel debate over U.S. transit security

Debate erupted Thursday over federal funding for U.S. mass transit security after four bombs in London ripped through several commuter subway trains and one bus, killing at least 37 people and injuring hundreds more.

London authorities said the bombs appeared to be a coordinated terrorist attack, but did not know whether suicide bombers set them off or whether bombs had been left in packages.

In the United States, the Homeland Security Department raised the terror alert level from yellow to orange for regional and inter-city passenger rail, subways and metropolitan bus systems. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the alert level was being raised out of "prudence" and "common sense," but added that the government did not have any specific, credible information suggesting an imminent attack was likely in the United States.

"We have asked state and local leaders and transportation officials to increase their protective measures, including additional law enforcement police, bomb-detecting K-9 teams, increased video surveillance, spot-testing in certain areas, added perimeter barriers, extra intrusion-detection equipment, and increased numbers of inspection of trash receptacles and other storage areas," Chertoff said during a news conference. "But we are not suggesting that people avoid public transportation systems. Rather, we are asking that they use those systems, but with an increased awareness of their surroundings."

Chertoff added: "We feel, at least in the short term, we should raise the level here because obviously, we're concerned about the possibility of a copycat attack."

The bombings, however, immediately sparked concerns about funding and vulnerabilities of U.S. mass transit systems.

The American Public Transportation Association in Washington said federal funding for transit security "has been woefully inadequate," and called for increased assistance. The association represents more than 1,500 public transit organizations around the world, including the London Underground.

APTA President William Millar said U.S. transit agencies have invested more than $2 billion on security since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but an APTA survey last year identified $6 billion more in transit security needs. According to APTA, Americans took almost 10 billion trips on public transportation systems in 2004.

Millar said the aviation industry has received more than $18 billion in federal security funding since 9/11 while the public transportation industry has received only $250 million.

"The discrepancy in funding between aviation security and public transportation security fails to fairly balance the security needs of the traveling public," he said. "Americans take public transportation 32 million times a day -- 16 times more often than they travel on domestic airlines - and yet, when it comes to security, public transportation riders are treated as second-class citizens by the federal government."

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday's attacks, along with the March 2004 train bombings in Madrid, Spain, represent a "wake-up call" to improve rail and mass transit security. The Spain bombings killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800.

Schumer said he will introduce an amendment to the 2006 DHS appropriations bill when it comes to the Senate floor next week "to drastically increase the resources for and focus on rail and mass transit security." He said the amendment would ask for $100 million for mass transit security and $100 million for rail security. The amendment would also double funds for bus security improvements from $10 million to $20 million.

The senator also called for a coordinated, federally funded effort to accelerate the development of detection devices in rail and subway stations.

Chertoff said he thinks U.S. transit systems are safe.

"I wouldn't make a policy decision driven by a single event," he said. "And in the time period since 9/11, and frankly, in the time period since Madrid, we've worked with the Department of Transportation, with our state and local partners all across the country, to raise the level of everyday protection. And that includes detection equipment, it includes police presence, it includes protocols. So I actually think we have a very safe system."

DHS spokesman Marc Short confirmed that the federal government has only provided $250 million to public transit systems under the Transit Security Grant Program. But he said states also can use grant funding provided through the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Grant Program to better secure transit systems. Short said $8.6 billion had been allocated to those programs, but only about 50 percent of that funding has been spent by states nationwide.

Short added that the 2006 DHS budget request also proposes to create a $600 million Targeted Infrastructure Protection grant program, through which states can compete for money to boost port, rail and transportation security.

"It is a more flexible system that provides more funding," Short said.

Critics have noted, however, that the administration wants to spend about $5 billion specifically on aviation security in 2006, while leaving other areas in need of security to compete for the $600 million funding within the TIP program.