Security

The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said his thoughts immediately turned to the safety of America's transportation system after President Obama announced the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) praised the military personnel involved in the raid on bin Laden's compound in Pakistan and said it is important that the U.S. transportation system remain on guard.

“Having recently been in Afghanistan and met with our soldiers and military leaders, I am once again convinced that, if provided the resources and support of the Congress and the American people, they can complete any assignment," Mica, who drafted the legislation to create the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said in a statement released after Obama's announcement.

"Now my concern turns to terrorist retaliation, particularly in the area of transportation. Making certain that all Americans are safe and secure in their travels remains my top priority," Mica said.  

Transportation agencies in New York and Washington, D.C., have increased security in response to the killing of Osama bin Laden by a U.S. strike team in Pakistan.

"In light of last night's news and in coordination with local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we have increased security at key locations across the MTA's transportation system and remain on high alert," New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Jeremy Soffin said Monday in a statement.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which operates Metrorail and Metrobus, also announced new precautionary measures.

"Metro Transit Police and our jurisdictional law enforcement partners are increasing security of the Metro system as a precautionary measure related to the death of bin Laden," WMATA said in a statement Monday. "Please know that this increased security is not related to any specific threat, rather it is out of an abundance of caution."

Senior administration officials have said bin Laden's death could result in a retaliatory terrorist attack. The officials said on Sunday night there have been no specific threats, but called it "prudent" to take additional security measures.

The United States Capitol Police also said it was taking extra precautions.

"USCP is always at a heightened state of alert & readiness," Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said in a statement. "While we continue to monitor and share intelligence with our law enforcement partners, USCP has implemented enhanced security measures in and around the Congressional Office Buildings.”

"The public may notice an increased police presence and enhanced patrols in the field — and some measures may not even be visible to the public. USCP also maintains on site liaisons within the intelligence community to share & communicate real time information," Schneider continued.

—Debbie Siegelbaum contributed.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Big-city transportation facilities are on alert after the death of Osama bin Laden.

Airports are stepping up security too.

The Los Angeles transportation department is investigating allegations that two traffic officers made appearances in an adult film.

Southwest's purchase of AirTran will be finalized Monday.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will kick off the week with a trip Monday to Allentown, Pa., when Department of Transportation officials say he will shine a light on pipeline safety.

LaHood will take a tour of the site of a February explosion that resulted in five deaths and will make what officials are calling a “major announcement” about safety initiatives from the Obama administration.

The Transportation Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety administrator, Cynthia Quarterman; Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.); Allentown Mayor Ed Palowski; and the city’s fire chief, Robert Scheier, will join LaHood.

A hole in the fuselage of US Airways plane that landed this week in Charlotte, N.C. was caused by a bullet, airline officials said Tuesday they suspected.
 
The plane, a Boeing 737, landed safely in Charlotte after flying from Philadelphia, Pa., but a bullet was found inside the jet. Terrorism is not suspected, reports from Charlotte have said.

"Yesterday when one of our captains was conducting a pre-flight inspection, he noticed a small hole in the exterior of the plane," US Airways spokeswoman Liz Landau told The Hill.

"At that point, we took out the plane out of service out of an abundance of caution," she said.

Officials from the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security could not immediately be reached Tuesday afternoon by The Hill.
 
The flight had 84 passenger and five crewmembers when it landed in Charlotte.

Democrats look to use Homeland Security Chairman Peter King's words against his party.