Andre Carson: “we face a grave and growing threat. The safety of America's rails and subways is on shaky ground almost five years after…”

“we face a grave and growing threat. The safety of America's rails and subways is on shaky ground almost five years after September 11th. We need to take a hard, honest look at the issue of rail security and give America's rail passengers the same level of confidence that airline passengers get everyday. In recent years, we have experienced an annual average of 30 terrorist attacks on passenger rail across the world. The past three years have seen the sadness and heart-wrenching agony caused by three major attacks on rail systems in Madrid, London and disturbingly yesterday in India. These three attacks alone have led to some astonishing numbers, 22 bomb blasts, 15 trains destroyed, 390 people dead and over 1,650 injuries and countless lives forever altered. The shock, horror and loss of life resulting from these acts of terrorism are reminders that the United States must do more to strengthen rail security. Our passenger rail systems are vulnerable potential targets for terrorists. The 9/11 Commission's final report noted that ``surface transportation systems such as railroads and mass transit remain hard to protect because they are so accessible and extensive.'' Throughout the country, there are over 300,000 miles of freight rail lines and over 10,000 miles of commuter and urban rail system lines. On a typical weekday, 11.3 million passengers use rail or mass transit, and at any given time, hazardous materials are transported throughout the country.…”