Group: Congress should prioritize transit security after bin Laden plot discovered

It’s not surprising that Osama bin Laden would target U.S. railways in a potential terrorist attack, and Congress should hike transit-security funding as a result, the president of the American Public Transportation Association said Friday.
 
“I am not surprised by the new reports that Osama bin Laden had considered attacking U.S. rail," APTA President William Millar said in a statement. "Unfortunately, trains and buses have long been terrorist targets throughout the world."

U.S. officials said this week that documents discovered in bin Laden's Pakistani compound showed al Qaeda in 2010 was thinking about attacking railways on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

With that now as a backdrop, Millar pointed out that in the recent budget deal to avert a government shutdown, Congress cut funding for transportation security by $50 million. Even the $300 million proposed for next year by President Obama is insufficient to keep railways safe, he said.
 
"The low level of funding for transit security is out of step with terrorist threats," he said. "Based on a survey that was released last year, U.S. public transportation systems need $6.4 billion over five years to meet transit security needs.  
 
"Public transportation systems are doing their part and are on high alert," Millar continued. “Now it is time for Congress to do its part to change course, make transit security a priority, and pass legislation that dramatically increases the federal transit security investment. As I have said many times before, ‘We don’t need another wake up call.’ ”
 
Millar said the 9/11 Commission Act recommended $1.1 billion in transit security funding in 2011.