Rail, sea security may fall to Uncle Sam, too

After the Senate's passage last week of a major aviation security overhaul, advocates working to shore up the security of other potentially vulnerable modes of transportation hope Congress will next turn its attention to railways and seaports.

However, battles over funding immediate security needs, financing overdue infrastructure improvements and implementing requirements under existing law have precluded speedy action so far.

"I believe seaport security is a very serious issue, as well as rail security," said Senate Commerce ranking member John McCain, R-Ariz., after averting a potential crisis over an Amtrak funding amendment that threatened to scuttle a deal for Senate passage of the aviation security bill Thursday night. Added McCain, "I hope we will understand those are priority items that need to be addressed."

McCain and Democrats brokered a deal with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden--who represents the Amtrak-dependent state of Delaware--promising him future action on rail and port security legislation if he would drop plans to add a $3 billion Amtrak funding amendment to the aviation bill.

Biden, who takes the train every day from Wilmington, Del., to Washington, was outraged earlier when it became clear his proposal was considered a deal-breaker that would not be accepted as an amendment.

While not a big fan of Amtrak, McCain introduced a bill last week to provide $1.5 billion to improve rail security and repair deteriorating tunnels along the Northeast corridor.

On the lower-profile issue of port and water resource security, committees have taken testimony in recent days making clear that the government is uncertain about what kind of cargo is being brought into the country. Experts also have said that environmental infrastructure can be breached easily.

"Before the tragic events of Sept. 11, security of water resources and environmental infrastructure was not a very high national priority," said House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources Subcommittee Chairman John Duncan, R-Tenn. "However, on that day, our nation learned that our own equipment and our own structures can be used against us."

Of the 360 ports in the country, 50 bring in about 95 percent of shipping commerce. Many are located near densely populated cities or areas with security concerns--such as Navy bases.

But few manifests are filed before ships reach port, Admiral James Loy, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, told the Senate Commerce Committee last week.

"We owe the country a much better capability," Loy said.

The government is expected to send Congress a list of what it needs to improve port security soon, and the handful of bills already introduced might get a second look.