Don Young: “Mr. Speaker, the Max Cleland Over-the-Road Bus Security and Safety Act, H.R. 3429, will enhance the security of the…”

“Mr. Speaker, the Max Cleland Over-the-Road Bus Security and Safety Act, H.R. 3429, will enhance the security of the nation's intercity bus network by directing the Secretary of Transportation to establish a grant program for security improvements to over-the-road operations. The bipartisan legislation was introduced last December, and was marked up by the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on June 13, 2002. The amended bill before you reflects an agreement between the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, which reported a companion bill, S. 1739. The Senate bill was introduced and championed by Senator Max Cleland, and the bill has been named for him to commemorate his work on this legislation. Since last year's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., the Transportation Committee has re-examined the security of all modes of transportation. The intercity bus industry transports more than 750 million passengers a year, and is an important element of a intermodal national transportation system. Unfortunately, recent terrorist bombings on foreign buses and bus stations, as well as attacks against bus drivers here in the U.S., demonstrate the need for strengthened bus security.”