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Testimony: 

Before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United 
States Senate:

United States General Accounting Office:

GAO:

For Release on Delivery Expected at 9:30 a.m. EDT:

Tuesday, September 9, 2003:

Transportation Security:

Federal Action Needed to Enhance Security Efforts:

Statement of Peter Guerrero, Director:

Physical Infrastructure Issues:

GAO-03-1154T:

GAO Highlights:

Highlights of GAO-03-1154T, testimony before the Senate Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

Why GAO Did This Study:

The economic well being of the United States is dependent on the 
expeditious flow of people and goods through the transportation 
system. The attacks on September 11, 2001, illustrate the threats to 
and vulnerabilities of the transportation system. Prior to September 
11, the Department of Transportation (DOT) had primary responsibility 
for the security of the transportation system. In the wake of 
September 11, Congress created the Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) within DOT and gave it primary responsibility for 
the security of all modes of transportation. TSA was recently 
transferred to the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS). GAO was 
asked to examine the challenges in securing the transportation system 
and the federal role and actions in transportation security.

What GAO Found:

Securing the nation’s transportation system is fraught with 
challenges. The transportation system crisscrosses the nation and 
extends beyond our borders to move millions of passengers and tons of 
freight each day. The extensiveness of the system as well as the sheer 
volume of passengers and freight moved makes it both an attractive 
target and difficult to secure. Addressing the security concerns of 
the transportation system is further complicated by the number of 
transportation stakeholders that are involved in security decisions, 
including government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels 
and thousands of private sector companies. Further exacerbating these 
challenges are the financial pressures confronting transportation 
stakeholders.  For example, the sluggish economy has weakened the 
transportation industry’s financial condition by decreasing ridership 
and revenues. The federal government has provided additional funding 
for transportation security since September 11, but demand has far 
outstripped the additional amounts made available. It will take the 
collective effort of all transportation stakeholders to meet existing 
and future transportation challenges.

Since September 11, transportation stakeholders have acted to enhance 
security. At the federal level, TSA primarily focused on meeting 
aviation security deadlines during its first year of existence and DOT 
launched a variety of security initiatives to enhance the other modes 
of transportation. For example, the Federal Transit Administration 
provided grants for emergency drills and conducted security 
assessments at the largest transit agencies, among other things. TSA 
has recently focused more on the security of the maritime and land 
transportation modes and is planning to issue security standards for 
all modes of transportation. DOT is also continuing their security 
efforts. However, the roles and responsibilities of TSA and DOT in 
securing the transportation system have not been clearly defined, 
which creates the potential for overlap, duplication, and confusion as 
both entities move forward with their security efforts.

What GAO Recommends:

In a June 2003 report, GAO recommended that TSA and DOT use a 
mechanism, such as a memorandum of agreement, to define and clarify 
each entity’s role and responsibilities in transportation security 
matters. DHS and DOT disagreed with the recommendation. Based on the 
uncertainty in the entities’ roles and responsibilities that 
transportation stakeholders surfaced to us, we continue to believe our 
recommendation is valid and would help address transportation security 
challenges.

www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-1154T.

To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click 
on the link above. For more information, contact Peter Guerrero at 
(202) 512-2834 or guerrerop@gao.gov.

[End of section]

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

We appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony on the security of 
our nation's transportation system. Almost 2 years have passed since 
the attacks of September 11, 2001, demonstrated the vulnerabilities of 
the nation's transportation system to the terrorist threat. Although 
most of the early attention following the September 11 attacks focused 
on aviation security, emphasis on the other modes of transportation has 
since grown as concerns are voiced about possible vulnerabilities, such 
as attempts to introduce weapons of mass destruction into this country 
through ports or launch chemical attacks on mass transit systems. The 
entire transportation industry has remained on a heightened state of 
alert since the attacks.

My testimony today examines (1) challenges in securing the nation's 
transportation system; (2) actions transportation operators,[Footnote 
1] as well as state and local governments, have taken since September 
11 to enhance security; (3) the federal role in securing the 
transportation system and actions the federal government has taken to 
enhance transportation security since September 11; and (4) future 
actions that are needed to further enhance the security of the nation's 
transportation system. My comments are based on our recent 
report[Footnote 2] on the security of the transportation system that we 
prepared for several Members of this Committee as well as a body of our 
work undertaken since September 11 on homeland security and combating 
terrorism.[Footnote 3]

Summary:

Transportation stakeholders face numerous challenges in securing the 
nation's transportation system. Some of these challenges are common to 
all modes of transportation; other challenges are specific to aviation, 
maritime, or land transportation modes. Common security challenges 
include the extensiveness of the transportation system, the 
interconnectivity of the system, funding limitations, and the number of 
stakeholders involved in transportation security. For example, the 
transportation system includes about 3.9 million miles of roads, over 
100,000 miles of rail, almost 600,000 bridges, over 300 ports, 2.2 
million miles of pipelines, 500 train stations, and over 5,000 public-
use airports. The size of the system simultaneously provides a 
substantial number of potential targets for terrorists and makes it 
difficult to secure. Additionally, the number of stakeholders--
including over 20 federal entities, state and local governments, and 
hundreds of thousands of private businesses--can lead to coordination, 
communication, and consensus-building challenges. Further exacerbating 
these challenges are the financial pressures confronting transportation 
stakeholders. For example, the sluggish economy has weakened the 
transportation industry's financial condition by decreasing ridership 
and revenues. The federal government has provided additional funding 
for transportation security since September 11, but demand has far 
outstripped the additional amounts made available. The aviation, 
maritime, and land transportation modes also face particular challenges 
in enhancing security. For instance, maritime and land transportation 
systems generally have open access designs so that users can enter the 
systems at multiple points; however, this openness leaves them 
vulnerable because transportation operators cannot monitor or control 
who enters or leaves the systems.

Despite these challenges, transportation operators and state and local 
governments have implemented numerous actions to enhance security since 
September 11. Although security was always a priority, the terrorist 
attacks elevated the importance and urgency of security. According to 
representatives from a number of industry associations we interviewed, 
transportation operators have implemented new security measures or 
increased the frequency or intensity of existing activities. For 
example, many transportation operators conducted risk or security 
assessments, undertook emergency drills, and developed security plans. 
State and local governments, which play a critical role in securing the 
system because they own a large portion of the transportation system as 
well as serve as first responders to incidents involving transportation 
assets, have also acted to improve the security of the transportation 
system. Some examples of their actions since September 11 include 
deploying additional law enforcement personnel and participating in 
emergency drills with the transportation industry.

The roles of federal government agencies in securing the nation's 
transportation system are in transition. Prior to September 11, DOT had 
primary responsibility for the security of the transportation system. 
In the wake of September 11, Congress created TSA and gave it 
responsibility for the security of all modes of transportation. During 
TSA's first year of existence, its primary focus was on aviation 
security. While TSA was focusing on aviation security, DOT modal 
administrations[Footnote 4] launched various initiatives to enhance the 
security of the maritime and land transportation modes. For example, 
the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) launched a multipart security 
initiative to enhance transit security, which included grants for 
emergency drills, security assessments, and training. TSA has started 
to assert a greater role in securing the maritime and land 
transportation modes and is launching a number of new security 
initiatives. For example, TSA is planning to issue security standards 
for all modes of transportation. However, a number of representatives 
from transportation industry and state and local government 
associations that we contacted expressed concerns about not being 
adequately involved in TSA's decision-making, such as the development 
of security standards. DOT modal administrations are also continuing 
their transportation security efforts. For example, the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) is coordinating a series of workshops this year 
on emergency response and preparedness for state departments of 
transportation and other agencies. The roles and responsibilities of 
TSA and DOT in transportation security have yet to be clearly 
delineated, which creates the potential for duplicating and/or 
conflicting efforts as both entities move forward with their security 
efforts.

Transportation security experts and representatives from 
transportation industry and state and local government associations 
that we spoke with identified a number of actions that they said should 
be implemented to enhance the security of the nation's transportation 
system. In general, they believe that the transportation system is 
generally more secure today than it was prior to September 11; however, 
all noted that more work is needed to improve the security of the 
system. Transportation security experts and representatives from 
transportation industry and state and local government associations 
identified a number of future actions needed and stated that the 
identified actions are primarily the responsibility of the federal 
government. For instance, representatives from industry and state and 
local government associations told us that clarifying federal roles and 
coordinating federal efforts are important because association members 
are not clear about which agency to contact for their various security 
concerns and which agency has oversight for certain issues. Some 
representatives from the transportation industry and state and local 
government associations also noted that they have received conflicting 
messages from the different federal entities.

In our June report, we recommended that the Secretary of Homeland 
Security and the Secretary of Transportation develop mechanisms, such 
as a memorandum of agreement, to clearly define the roles and 
responsibilities of TSA and DOT in transportation security 
matters.[Footnote 5] DOT and DHS generally agreed with the report's 
findings; however, they disagreed with the conclusions and 
recommendation that their roles and responsibilities in transportation 
security matters need to be clarified. On the basis of our discussions 
with transportation security stakeholders, we continue to believe our 
recommendation would help address transportation security challenges. 
For example, representatives from several associations stated that 
their members were unclear as to which agency to contact for their 
various security concerns and which agency has oversight for certain 
issues. Furthermore, both DOT and TSA are moving forward with their 
security efforts, and both entities have statutory responsibilities for 
transportation security. Therefore, we retained our recommendation that 
DOT and DHS clarify and delineate their roles and responsibilities in 
security matters and communicate this information to stakeholders.

Background:

The nation's transportation system is a vast, interconnected network of 
diverse modes. Key modes of transportation include aviation; highways; 
motor carrier (i.e., trucking); motor coach (i.e., intercity bus); 
maritime; pipeline; rail (passenger and freight); and transit (e.g., 
buses, subways, ferry boats, and light rail). The transportation modes 
work in harmony to facilitate mobility through an extensive network of 
infrastructure and operators, as well as through the vehicles and 
vessels that permit passengers and freight to move within the system. 
For example, the nation's transportation system moves over 30 million 
tons of freight and provides approximately 1.1 billion passenger trips 
each day. The diversity and size of the transportation system make it 
vital to our economy and national security, including military 
mobilization and deployment.

Private industry, state and local governments, and the federal 
government all have roles and responsibilities in securing the 
transportation system. Private industry owns and operates a large share 
of the transportation system. For example, almost 2,000 pipeline 
companies and 571 railroad companies own and operate the pipeline and 
freight railroad systems, respectively. Additionally, 83 passenger air 
carriers and 640,000 interstate motor coach and motor carrier companies 
operate in the United States. State and local governments also own 
significant portions of the highways, transit systems, and airports in 
the country. For example, state and local governments own over 90 
percent of the total mileage of highways. State and local governments 
also administer and implement regulations for different sectors of the 
transportation system and provide protective and emergency response 
services through various agencies. Although the federal government owns 
a limited share of the transportation system, it issues regulations, 
establishes policies, provides funding, and/or sets standards for the 
different modes of transportation. The federal government uses a 
variety of policy tools, including grants, loan guarantees, tax 
incentives, regulations, and partnerships, to motivate or mandate state 
and local governments or the private sector to help address security 
concerns.

Prior to September 11, DOT was the primary federal entity involved in 
transportation security matters. However, in response to the attacks on 
September 11, Congress passed the Aviation and Transportation Security 
Act (ATSA), which created TSA within DOT and defined its primary 
responsibility as ensuring security in all modes of 
transportation.[Footnote 6] The act also gives TSA regulatory authority 
over all transportation modes. Since its creation in November 2001, TSA 
has focused primarily on meeting the aviation security deadlines 
contained in ATSA. With the passage of the Homeland Security Act on 
November 25, 2002, TSA, along with over 20 other agencies, was 
transferred to the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS).[Footnote 
7]

The Transportation System as a Whole Faces Numerous Challenges:

The United States maintains the world's largest and most complex 
national transportation system. Improving the security of such a system 
is fraught with challenges for both public and private entities. To 
provide safe transportation for the nation, these entities must 
overcome issues common to all modes of transportation as well as issues 
specific to the individual modes of transportation.

All Modes of Transportation Face Common Challenges:

Although each mode of transportation is unique, they all face some 
common challenges in trying to enhance security. Common challenges stem 
from the extensiveness of the transportation system, the 
interconnectivity of the system, funding security improvements, and the 
number of stakeholders involved in transportation security.

Size and Diversity of Transportation Modes Create Security Challenges:

The size of the transportation system makes it difficult to adequately 
secure. The transportation system's extensive infrastructure 
crisscrosses the nation and extends beyond our borders to move millions 
of passengers and tons of freight each day. The extensiveness of the 
infrastructure as well as the sheer volume of freight and passengers 
moved through the system creates an infinite number of targets for 
terrorists. Furthermore, as industry representatives and 
transportation security experts repeatedly noted, the extensiveness of 
the infrastructure makes equal protection for all assets impossible.

Protecting transportation assets from attack is made more difficult 
because of the tremendous variety of transportation operators. Some are 
multibillion-dollar enterprises, and others have very limited 
facilities and very little traffic. Some are public agencies, such as 
state departments of transportation, and some are private businesses. 
Some transportation operators carry passengers, and others haul 
freight. Additionally, the type of freight moved through the different 
modes is similarly varied. For example, the maritime, motor carrier, 
and rail operators haul freight as diverse as dry bulk (grain) and 
hazardous materials.

Interconnectivity and Interdependency Also Present Challenges:

Additional challenges are created by the interconnectivity and 
interdependency among the transportation modes and between the 
transportation sector and nearly every other sector of the economy. The 
transportation system is interconnected or intermodal because 
passengers and freight can use multiple modes of transportation to 
reach a destination. For example, from its point of origin to its 
destination, a piece of freight, such as a shipping container, can move 
from ship to train to truck. (See fig. 1.) The interconnective nature 
of the transportation system creates several security challenges. 
First, the effects of events directed at one mode of transportation can 
ripple throughout the entire system. For example, when the port workers 
in California, Oregon, and Washington went on strike in 2002, the 
railroads saw their intermodal traffic decline by almost 30 percent 
during the first week of the strike, compared with the year before. 
Second, the interconnecting modes can contaminate each other--that is, 
if a particular mode experiences a security breach, the breach could 
affect other modes.[Footnote 8] An example of this would be if a 
shipping container that held a weapon of mass destruction arrived at a 
U.S. port where it was placed on a truck or train. In this case, 
although the original security breach occurred in the port, the rail or 
trucking industry would be affected as well. Thus, even if operators 
within one mode established high levels of security they could be 
affected because of the security efforts, or lack thereof, of the other 
modes. Third, intermodal facilities where a number of modes connect and 
interact--such as ports--are potential targets for attack because of 
the presence of passengers, freight, employees, and equipment at these 
facilities.

Figure 1: Illustration of Possible Freight Movements within the 
Transportation System:

[See PDF for image]

[End of figure]

Interdependencies also exist between transportation and nearly every 
other sector of the economy. Consequently, an event that affects the 
transportation sector can have serious impacts on other industries. For 
example, when the war in Afghanistan began in October 2001, the rail 
industry restricted the movement of many hazardous materials, including 
chlorine, because of a heightened threat of a terrorist attack. 
However, within days, many major water treatment facilities reported 
that they were running out of chlorine, which they use to treat 
drinking water, and would have to shut down operations if chlorine 
deliveries were not immediately resumed.

The Number of Stakeholders Creates Challenges:

Securing the transportation system is made more difficult because of 
the number of stakeholders involved. As illustrated in figure 2, 
numerous entities at the federal, state, and local levels, including 
over 20 federal entities and thousands of private sector businesses, 
play a key role in transportation security. For example, the 
Departments of Energy, Transportation, and Homeland Security; state 
governments; and about 2,000 pipeline operators are all responsible for 
securing the pipeline system. The number of stakeholders involved in 
transportation security can lead to communication challenges, 
duplication, and conflicting guidance. Representatives from several 
state and local government and industry associations told us that their 
members are receiving different messages from the various federal 
agencies involved in transportation security. For instance, one 
industry representative noted that both TSA and DOT asked the industry 
to implement additional security measures when the nation's threat 
condition was elevated to orange at the beginning of the Iraq 
War;[Footnote 9] however, TSA and DOT were not consistent in what they 
wanted done--that is, they were asking for different security measures. 
Moreover, many representatives commented that the federal government 
needs to better coordinate its security efforts. These representatives 
noted that dealing with multiple agencies on the same issues and topics 
is frustrating and time consuming for the transportation sector.

Figure 2: Key Stakeholders in Transportation Security:

[See PDF for image]

[A] "Other" includes private, public, or quasi-public entities.

[End of figure]

The number of stakeholders also makes it difficult to achieve the 
needed cooperation and consensus to move forward with security efforts. 
As we have noted in past reports, coordination and consensus-building 
are critical to successful implementation of security efforts. 
Transportation stakeholders can have inconsistent goals or interests, 
which can make consensus-building challenging. For example, from a 
safety perspective, vehicles that carry hazardous materials should be 
required to have placards that identify the contents of a vehicle so 
that emergency personnel know how best to respond to an incident. 
However, from a security perspective, identifying placards on vehicles 
that carry hazardous materials make them a potential target for attack.

Funding Is Key Challenge:

According to transportation security experts and state and local 
government and industry representatives we contacted, funding is the 
most pressing challenge to securing the nation's transportation system. 
Although some security improvements are inexpensive, such as removing 
trash cans from subway platforms, most require substantial funding. 
Additionally, given the large number of assets to protect, the sum of 
even relatively less expensive investments can be cost prohibitive. For 
example, reinforcing shipping containers to make them more blast 
resistant is one way to improve security, which would cost about 
$15,000 per container. With several million shipping containers in use, 
however, this tactic would cost billions of dollars if all of them were 
reinforced. The total cost of enhancing the security of the entire 
transportation system is unknown; however, given the size of the 
system, it could amount to tens of billions of dollars.

The current economic environment makes this a difficult time for 
private industry or state and local governments to make security 
investments. According to industry representatives and experts we 
contacted, most of the transportation industry operates on a very thin 
profit margin, making it difficult for the industry to pay for 
additional security measures. The sluggish economy has further weakened 
the transportation industry's financial condition by decreasing 
ridership and revenues. For example, airlines are in the worst fiscal 
crisis in their history, and several have filed for bankruptcy. 
Similarly, the motor coach and motor carrier industries and Amtrak 
report decreased revenues because of the slow economy. In addition, 
nearly every state and local government is facing a large budget 
deficit for fiscal year 2004. For example, the National Governors 
Association estimates that states are facing a total budget shortfall 
of $80 billion for fiscal year 2004. Given the tight budget 
environment, state and local governments and transportation operators 
must make difficult trade-offs between transportation security 
investments and other needs, such as service expansion and equipment 
upgrades. According to the National Association of Counties, many local 
governments are planning to defer some maintenance of their 
transportation infrastructure to pay for some security enhancements.

Further exacerbating the problem of funding security improvements is 
the additional costs the transportation sector incurs when the federal 
government elevates the national threat condition. Industry 
representatives stated that operators tighten security, such as 
increasing security patrols, when the national threat condition is 
raised or intelligence information suggests an increased threat against 
their mode. However, these representatives stated that these additional 
measures drain resources and are not sustainable. For example, Amtrak 
estimates that it spends an additional $500,000 per month for police 
overtime when the national threat condition is increased. 
Transportation industry representatives also noted that employees are 
diverted from their regular duties to implement additional security 
measures, such as guarding entranceways, in times of increased 
security, which hurts productivity.

The federal government has provided additional funding for 
transportation security since September 11, but demand has far 
outstripped the additional amounts made available. For example, 
Congress appropriated a total of $241 million for grants for ports, 
motor carriers, and Operation Safe Commerce in 2002.[Footnote 10] 
However, as table 1 shows, the grant applications TSA has received for 
these security grants totaled $1.8 billion--nearly 8 times more than 
the amount available. Due to the costs of security enhancements and the 
transportation industries' and state and local governments' tight 
budget environments, the federal government is likely to be viewed as a 
source of funding for at least some of these enhancements. However, 
given the constraints on the federal budget as well as competing claims 
for federal assistance, requests for federal funding for transportation 
security enhancements will likely continue to exceed available 
resources.

Table 1: Comparison of Selected Transportation Security Grant Requests 
with Federal Funding Available, 2002 to 2003:

(Dollars in millions).

Port security grants[A]; Amount appropriated: $93.3; Total amount 
requested in all grant applications: $697.

Port security grants[B]; Amount appropriated: 105; Total amount 
requested in all grant applications: 996.

Intercity bus grants[B]; Amount appropriated: 15; Total amount 
requested in all grant applications: 45.6.

Operation Safe Commerce grants[B]; Amount appropriated: 28; Total 
amount requested in all grant applications: 97.9.

Total; Amount appropriated: $241.3; Total amount requested in all grant 
applications: $1,836.5.

Source: TSA.

Note: Both the Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act (P.L. No. 107-117) and the Supplemental 
Appropriations Act (P.L. No. 107-206) provided funding for port 
security grants.

[A] P.L. No. 107-117, 115 Stat. 2230 (2002).

[B] P.L. No. 107-206, 116 Stat. 820 (2002).  

[End of table]


Balancing Potential Economic Impacts and Security Enhancements Is Also 
Challenging:

Another challenge is balancing the potential economic impacts of 
security enhancements with the benefits of such measures. Although 
there is broad support for greater security, this task is a difficult 
one because the nation relies heavily on a free and expeditious flow of 
goods. Particularly with "just-in-time" deliveries, which require a 
smooth and expeditious flow through the transportation system, delays 
or disruptions in the supply chain could have serious economic impacts. 
As the Coast Guard Commandant stated about the flow of goods through 
ports, "even slowing the flow long enough to inspect either all or a 
statistically significant random selection of imports would be 
economically intolerable."[Footnote 11]

Furthermore, security measures may have economic and competitive 
ramifications for individual modes of transportation. For instance, if 
the federal government imposed a particular security requirement on the 
rail industry and not on the motor carrier industry, the rail industry 
might incur additional costs and/or lose customers to the motor carrier 
industry. Striking the right balance between increasing security and 
protecting the economic vitality of the national economy and individual 
modes will remain an important and difficult task.

Individual Transportation Modes Also Confront Unique Challenges:

In addition to the overarching challenges that transportation 
stakeholders will face in attempting to improve transportation 
security, they also face a number of challenges specific to the 
aviation, maritime, and land transportation modes. Although aviation 
security has received a significant amount of attention and funding 
since September 11, more work is needed. In general, transportation 
security experts believe that the aviation system is more secure today 
than it was prior to September 11. However, aviation experts and TSA 
officials noted that significant vulnerabilities remain. For example:

* Perimeter security: Terrorists could launch attacks, such as 
launching shoulder-fired missiles, from a location just outside an 
airport's perimeter. Since September 11, airport operators have 
increased their patrols of airport perimeter areas, but industry 
officials state that they do not have enough resources to completely 
protect against these attacks.

* Air cargo security: Although TSA has focused much effort and funding 
on ensuring that bombs and other threat items are not carried onto 
planes by passengers or in their luggage, vulnerabilities exist in 
securing the cargo carried aboard commercial passenger and all-cargo 
aircraft. For example, employees of shippers and freight forwarders are 
not universally subject to background checks. Theft is also a major 
problem in air cargo shipping, signifying that unauthorized personnel 
may still be gaining access to air cargo shipments. Air cargo shipments 
pass through several hands in going from sender to recipient, making it 
challenging to implement a system that provides adequate security for 
air cargo. According to TSA officials, TSA is developing a strategic 
plan to address air cargo security and has undertaken a comprehensive 
outreach process to strengthen security programs across the industry.

* General aviation security: Although TSA has taken several actions 
related to general aviation[Footnote 12] since September 11, this 
segment of the industry remains potentially more vulnerable than 
commercial aviation. For example, general aviation pilots are not 
screened prior to taking off, and the contents of a plane are not 
examined at any point. According to TSA, solutions that can be 
implemented relatively easily at the nation's commercial airports are 
not practical at the 19,000 general aviation airports. It would be very 
difficult to prevent a general aviation pilot intent on committing a 
terrorist attack with his or her aircraft from doing so. The 
vulnerability of the system was illustrated in January 2002, when a 
teenage flight student from Florida crashed his single-engine airplane 
into a Tampa skyscraper. TSA is working with the appropriate 
stakeholders to close potential security gaps and to raise the security 
standards across this diverse segment of the aviation industry.

Maritime and land transportation systems have their own unique security 
vulnerabilities. For example, maritime and land transportation systems 
generally have an open design, meaning the users can access the system 
at multiple points. The systems are open by design so that they are 
accessible and convenient for users. In contrast, the aviation system 
is housed in closed and controlled locations with few entry points. The 
openness of the maritime and land transportation systems can leave them 
vulnerable because transportation operators cannot monitor or control 
who enters or leaves the systems. However, adding security measures 
that restrict the flow of passengers or freight through the systems 
could have serious consequences for commerce and the public.

Individual maritime and land transportation modes also have unique 
challenges and vulnerabilities. For example, representatives from the 
motor carrier industry noted that the high turnover rate (about 40 to 
60 percent) of drivers means that motor carrier operators must be 
continually conducting background checks on new drivers, which is 
expensive and time consuming. Additionally, as we noted in our report 
on rail safety and security,[Footnote 13] the temporary storage of 
hazardous materials in unsecured or unmonitored rail cars while 
awaiting delivery to their ultimate destinations is a potential 
vulnerability. Specifically, unmonitored chemical cars could develop 
undetected leaks that could threaten the nearby population and 
environment. In addition, representatives from the motor coach industry 
commented that the number of used motor coaches on the market, coupled 
with the lack of guidance or requirements on buying or selling these 
vehicles, is a serious vulnerability. In particular, there are 
approximately 5,000 used motor coaches on the market; however, there is 
very little information on who is selling and buying them, nor is there 
any consistency among motor coach operators in whether they remove 
their logos from the vehicles before they are sold. These vehicles 
could be used as weapons or to transport weapons. Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration officials told us they have not issued guidance 
to the industry on this potential vulnerability because TSA is 
responsible for security and therefore would be responsible for issuing 
such guidance.

Transportation Operators and State and Local Governments Have Taken 
Steps to Improve Security:

Since September 11, transportation operators and state and local 
governments have been working to strengthen security, according to 
associations we contacted. Although security was a priority before 
September 11, the terrorist attacks elevated the importance and urgency 
of transportation security for transportation operators and state and 
local governments. According to representatives from a number of 
industry associations we interviewed, transportation operators have 
implemented new security measures or increased the frequency or 
intensity of existing activities. Some of the most common measures 
cited include conducting vulnerability or risk assessments, tightening 
access control, intensifying security presence, increasing emergency 
drills, developing or revising security plans, and providing additional 
training. (Figure 3 is a photograph from an annual emergency drill 
conducted by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.):

Figure 3: Emergency Drill in Progress:

[See PDF for image]

[End of figure]

As we have previously reported, state and local governments are 
critical stakeholders in the nation's homeland security efforts. This 
is equally true in securing the nation's transportation system. State 
and local governments play a critical role, in part, because they own a 
significant portion of the transportation infrastructure, such as 
airports, transit systems, highways, and ports. For example, state and 
local governments own over 90 percent of the total mileage of the 
highway system. Even when state and local governments are not the 
owners or operators, they nonetheless are directly affected by the 
transportation modes that run through their jurisdictions. 
Consequently, the responsibility for protecting this infrastructure and 
responding to emergencies involving the transportation infrastructure 
often falls on state and local governments.

Security efforts of local and state governments have included 
developing counter terrorist plans, participating in training and 
security-related research, participating in transportation operators' 
emergency drills and table-top exercises, conducting vulnerability 
assessments of transportation assets, and participating in emergency 
planning sessions with transportation operators. Some state and local 
governments have also hired additional law enforcement personnel to 
patrol transportation assets. Much of the funding for these efforts has 
been covered by the state and local governments, with a bulk of the 
expenses going to personnel costs, such as for additional law 
enforcement officers and overtime.

Congress and Federal Agencies Have Taken Numerous Actions to Enhance 
Security, but Roles Remain Unclear:

Congress, DOT, TSA, and other federal agencies have taken numerous 
steps to enhance transportation security since September 11. The roles 
of the federal agencies in securing the nation's transportation system, 
however, are in transition. Prior to September 11, DOT had primary 
responsibility for the security of the transportation system. In the 
wake of September 11, Congress created TSA and gave it responsibility 
for the security of all modes of transportation. However, DOT and TSA 
have not yet formally defined their roles and responsibilities in 
securing all modes of transportation. Furthermore, TSA is moving 
forward with plans to enhance transportation security. For example, TSA 
plans to issue security standards for all modes. DOT modal 
administrations are also continuing their security efforts for 
different modes of transportation.

Congress and Federal Agencies Have Acted to Enhance Transportation 
Security:

Congress has acted to enhance the security of the nation's 
transportation system since September 11. In addition to passing the 
Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA),[Footnote 14] Congress 
passed a number of other key pieces of legislation aimed at improving 
transportation security. For example, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT 
Act of 2001,[Footnote 15] which mandates federal background checks of 
individuals operating vehicles carrying hazardous materials; and the 
Homeland Security Act,[Footnote 16] which created DHS and moved TSA to 
the new department.[Footnote 17] Congress also provided funding for 
transportation security enhancements through various appropriations 
acts. For example, the 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act, in part, 
provided (1) $738 million for the installation of explosives detection 
systems in commercial service airports, (2) $125 million for port 
security activities, and (3) $15 million to enhance the security of 
intercity bus operations.

Federal agencies, notably TSA and DOT, have also taken steps to enhance 
transportation security since September 11. In its first year of 
existence, TSA worked to establish its organization and focused 
primarily on meeting the aviation security deadlines contained in ATSA. 
In January 2002, TSA had 13 employees to tackle securing the nation's 
transportation system; 1 year later, TSA had about 65,000 employees. 
TSA reports that it met over 30 deadlines during 2002 to improve 
aviation security, including two of its most significant deadlines--to 
deploy federal passenger screeners at airports across the nation by 
November 19, 2002; and to screen every piece of checked baggage for 
explosives by December 31, 2002.[Footnote 18] According to TSA, other 
completed TSA activities included recruiting, hiring, training, and 
deploying about 56,000 federal screeners; awarding grants for port 
security; and implementing performance management system and strategic 
planning activities to create a results-oriented culture.

As TSA worked to establish itself and improve the security of the 
aviation system, DOT modal administrations acted to enhance the 
security of air, land, and maritime transportation. (See app. I for a 
table listing the actions taken by DOT modal administrations since 
September 11.) The actions taken by the DOT modal administrations have 
varied. For example, FTA launched a multipart initiative for mass 
transit agencies that provided grants for emergency drills, offered 
free security training, conducted security assessments at 36 transit 
agencies, provided technical assistance, and invested in research and 
development. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration developed 
three courses for motor coach drivers. The responses of the various DOT 
modal agencies have varied due to differences in authority and resource 
limitations.

In addition to TSA and DOT modal administrations, other federal 
agencies have also taken actions to improve security. For example, the 
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), previously known as the 
U.S. Customs Service, has launched a number of initiatives aimed at 
strengthening the security of the U.S. border.[Footnote 19] Some of the 
specific security initiatives that CBP has implemented include 
establishing the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), 
which is a joint government business initiative aimed at securing the 
supply chain of global trade against terrorist exploitation; and 
launching the Container Security Initiative (CSI), which is designed 
specifically to secure ocean-going sea containers. In addition, CBP has 
developed and/or deployed tools to detect weapons of mass destruction 
in cargo containers and vehicles, such as the new mobile gamma ray 
imaging devices pictured in figure 4.

Figure 4: Photograph of Inspection Equipment in Use:

[See PDF for image]

[End of figure]

TSA Moves Forward as its Role in Transportation Security Evolves:

TSA is moving forward with efforts to secure the entire transportation 
system. TSA has adopted a systems approach--that is, a holistic rather 
than a modal approach--to securing the transportation system. In 
addition, TSA is using risk management principles to guide its 
decision-making. TSA is also planning to establish security standards 
for all modes of transportation and is launching a number of new 
security efforts for the maritime and land transportation modes.

TSA Adopts a Systems Approach and Risk Management Principles:

Using the systems approach, TSA plans to address the security of the 
entire transportation system as a whole, rather than focusing on 
individual modes of transportation. According to TSA officials, using a 
systems approach to security is appropriate for several reasons. First, 
the transportation system is intermodal, interdependent, and 
international. Given the intermodalism of the system, incidents in one 
mode of transportation could affect other modes. Second, it is 
important not to drive terrorism from one mode of transportation to 
another mode because of perceived lesser security--that is, make a mode 
of transportation a more attractive target because another mode is 
"hardened" with additional security measures. Third, it is important 
that security measures for one mode of transportation are not overly 
stringent or too economically challenging compared with the measures 
used for other modes. Fourth, it is important that the attention on one 
aspect of transportation security (e.g., cargo, infrastructure, or 
passengers) does not leave the other aspects vulnerable.

TSA has also adopted a risk management approach for its efforts to 
enhance the security of the nation's transportation system. A risk 
management approach is a systematic process to analyze threats, 
vulnerabilities, and the criticality (or relative importance) of assets 
to better support key decisions in order to link resources with 
prioritized efforts. (See app. II for a description of the key elements 
of a risk management approach.) The highest priorities emerge where the 
three elements of risk management overlap. For example, transportation 
infrastructure that is determined to be a critical asset, vulnerable to 
attack, and a likely target would be most at risk and therefore would 
be a higher priority for funding compared with infrastructure that was 
only vulnerable to attack. According to TSA officials, risk management 
principles will drive all decisions--from standard-setting to funding 
priorities to staffing.

Using risk management principles to guide decision-making is a good 
strategy, given the difficult trade-offs TSA will likely have to make 
as it moves forward with its security efforts. We have advocated using 
a risk management approach to guide federal programs and responses to 
better prepare against terrorism and other threats and to better direct 
finite national resources to areas of highest priority. As 
representatives from local government and industry associations and 
transportation security experts repeatedly noted, the size of the 
transportation system precludes equal protection for all assets; 
moreover, the risks vary by transportation assets within modes and by 
modes. In addition, requests for funding for transportation security 
enhancements will likely exceed available resources. Risk management 
principles can help TSA determine security priorities and identify 
appropriate solutions.

TSA Plans to Issue National Security Standards:

TSA plans to issue national security standards for all modes of 
transportation. The federal government has historically set security 
standards for the aviation sector. For instance, prior to the passage 
of ATSA, FAA set security standards that the airlines were required to 
follow in several areas including, screening equipment, screener 
qualifications, and access control systems. In contrast, prior to the 
September 11 attacks, limited statutory authority existed to require 
measures to ensure the security of the maritime and land transportation 
systems. According to a TSA report, the existing regulatory framework 
leaves the maritime and land transportation systems unacceptably 
vulnerable to terrorist attack. For example, the rail, transit, and 
motor coach transportation systems are subject to no mandatory security 
requirements, resulting in little or no screening of passengers, 
baggage, or crew. Additionally, seaborne passenger vessel and seaport 
terminal operators have inconsistent levels and methods of screening 
and are largely free to set their own rules about the hiring and 
training of security personnel. Hence, TSA will set standards to ensure 
consistency among modes and across the transportation system and to 
reduce the transportation system's vulnerability to attacks.[Footnote 
20]

According to TSA officials and documents, TSA's standards will be 
performance-, risk-, and threat-based and may be mandatory. More 
specifically:

* Standards will be performance-based. Rather than being prescriptive 
standards, TSA standards will be performance-based, which will allow 
transportation operators to determine how best to achieve the desired 
level of security. TSA officials believe that performance-based 
standards provide for operator flexibility, allow operators to use 
their professional judgment in enhancing security, and encourage 
technology advancement.

* Standards will be risk-based. Standards will be set for areas for 
which assessments of the threats, vulnerabilities, and criticality 
indicate that an attack would have a national impact. A number of 
factors could be considered in determining "national impact," such as 
fatalities and economic damage.

* Standards will be threat-based. The standards will be tied to the 
national threat condition and/or local threats. As the threat condition 
escalates, the standards will require transportation operators to 
implement additional countermeasures.

* Standards may be mandatory. The standards will be mandatory when the 
risk level is too high or unacceptable. TSA officials stated that in 
these cases, mandatory standards are needed to ensure accountability. 
In addition, according to TSA officials, voluntary requirements put 
security-conscious transportation operators that implement security 
measures at a competitive disadvantage--that is, they have spent money 
that their competitors may not have spent. This creates a disincentive 
for transportation operators to implement voluntary requirements. TSA 
officials believe that mandatory standards will reduce this problem. In 
determining whether mandatory standards are needed, TSA will review the 
results of criticality and vulnerability assessments, current best 
practices, and voluntary compliance opportunities in conjunction with 
the private sector and other government agencies.

Although TSA officials expect some level of resistance to the standards 
by the transportation industry, they believe that their approach of 
using risk-, threat-, and performance-based standards will increase the 
acceptance of the standards. For example, performance-based standards 
allow for more operator flexibility in implementing the standards, 
compared with rigid, prescriptive standards. Moreover, TSA plans to 
issue only a limited number of standards--that is, standards will be 
issued only when assessments of the threats, vulnerabilities, and 
criticality indicate that the level of risk is too high or 
unacceptable.

TSA also expects some level of resistance to the standards from DOT 
modal administrations. Although TSA will establish the security 
standards, TSA expects that they will be administered and implemented 
by existing agencies and organizations. DOT modal administrations may 
be reluctant to assume this role because doing so could alter their 
relationships with the industry. Historically, the missions of DOT 
surface transportation modal administrations have largely focused on 
maintaining operations and improving service and safety, not regulating 
security. Moreover, the authority to regulate security varies by DOT 
modal administration. For example, FTA has limited authority to 
regulate and oversee security at transit agencies. In contrast, FRA has 
regulatory authority for rail security, and DOT's Office of Pipeline 
Safety has responsibility for writing safety and security regulations 
for liquefied natural gas storage facilities. In addition, DOT modal 
administrations may be reluctant to administer and implement standards 
because of resource concerns. FHWA officials commented that given the 
current uncertainty about the standards and their impacts, FHWA is 
reluctant to commit, in advance, staff or funding to enforce new 
security standards.

Gaining Stakeholder Buy-in is Critical for Standards to Work, but 
Stakeholders Express Concerns:

Because transportation stakeholders will be involved in administering, 
implementing, and/or enforcing TSA standards, stakeholder buy-in is 
critical to the success of this initiative. Compromise and consensus on 
the part of stakeholders are also necessary. However, achieving such 
consensus and compromise may be difficult, given the conflicts between 
some stakeholders' goals and interests.

Transportation stakeholders we contacted also expressed a number of 
concerns about TSA's plan to issue security standards for all modes of 
transportation. For example, industry associations expressed concerns 
that the standards would come in the form of unfunded mandates--that 
is, the federal government would not provide funding to implement 
mandatory standards. According to the industry and state and local 
government associations we spoke to, unfunded mandates create 
additional financial burdens for transportation operators, who are 
already experiencing financial difficulties. Industry representatives 
also expressed concern that TSA has not adequately included the 
transportation industry in its development of standards. Many industry 
representatives and some DOT officials we met with were unsure of 
whether TSA was issuing standards, what the standards would entail, or 
the time frames for issuing the standards. The uncertainty about the 
pending standards can lead to confusion and/or inaction. For example, 
Amtrak officials noted that they are reluctant to spend money to 
implement certain security measures because they are worried that TSA 
will subsequently issue standards that will require Amtrak to redo its 
efforts. Transportation stakeholders also raised other concerns about 
TSA's plans to issues standards, including questioning whether TSA has 
the necessary expertise to develop appropriate standards and whether 
mandatory standards, as opposed to voluntary standards, are prudent.

TSA Is Launching Other Security Initiatives:

TSA is also working on a number of additional security efforts, such as 
establishing the Transportation Workers Identification Card (TWIC) 
program; developing the next generation of the Computer Assisted 
Passenger Pre-Screening System; developing a national transportation 
system security plan; and exploring methods to integrate operations and 
security, among other things. The TWIC program is intended to improve 
access control for the 12 million transportation workers who require 
unescorted physical or cyber access to secure areas of the nation's 
transportation modes by establishing a uniform, nationwide standard for 
secure identification of transportation workers. Specifically, TWIC 
will combine standard background checks and biometrics so that a worker 
can be positively matched to his/her credential. Once the program is 
fully operational, the TWIC would be the standard credential for 
transportation workers and would be accepted by all modes of 
transportation. According to TSA, developing a uniform, nationwide 
standard for identification will minimize redundant credentialing and 
background checks.

DOT Modal Agencies Are Continuing Forward with Their Security Efforts:

As TSA moves forward with new security initiatives, DOT modal 
administrations are also continuing their security efforts and, in some 
cases, launching new security initiatives. For example, FHWA is 
coordinating a series of workshops this year on emergency response and 
preparedness for state departments of transportation and other 
agencies. FTA also has a number of initiatives currently under way in 
the areas of public awareness, research, training, technical 
assistance, and intelligence sharing. For example, FTA developed a list 
of the top 20 security actions transit agencies should implement and is 
currently working with transit agencies to assist them in implementing 
these measures.

FAA is also continuing its efforts to enhance cyber security in the 
aviation system. Although the primary responsibility for securing the 
aviation system was transferred to TSA, FAA remains responsible for 
protecting the nation's air traffic control system--both the physical 
security of its air traffic control facilities and computer systems. 
The air traffic control system's computers help the nation's air 
traffic controllers to safely direct and separate traffic--sabotaging 
this system could have disastrous consequences. FAA is moving forward 
with efforts to increase the physical security of its air traffic 
control facilities and ensure that contractors who have access to the 
air traffic control system undergo background checks.

TSA's and DOT's Roles and Responsibilities Have Not Been Clearly 
Defined:

The roles and responsibilities of TSA and DOT in transportation 
security have yet to be clearly delineated, which creates the potential 
for duplicating or conflicting efforts as both entities move forward 
with their security efforts. DOT modal administrations were primarily 
responsible for the security of the transportation system prior to 
September 11. In November 2001, Congress passed ATSA, which created TSA 
and gave it primary responsibility for securing all modes of 
transportation.[Footnote 21] However, during TSA's first year of 
existence, TSA's main focus was on aviation security--more 
specifically, on meeting ATSA deadlines. While TSA was primarily 
focusing on aviation security, DOT modal administrations launched 
various initiatives to enhance the security of the maritime and land 
transportation modes. With the immediate crisis of meeting many 
aviation security deadlines behind it, TSA has been able to focus more 
on the security of all modes of transportation.

Legislation has not specifically defined TSA's role and 
responsibilities in securing all modes of transportation. In 
particular, ATSA does not specify TSA's role and responsibilities in 
securing the maritime and land transportation modes in detail as it 
does for aviation security. For instance, the act does not set 
deadlines for TSA to implement certain transit security requirements. 
Instead, the act simply states that TSA is responsible for ensuring 
security in all modes of transportation. The act also did not eliminate 
the existing statutory responsibilities for DOT modal administrations 
to secure the different transportation modes. Moreover, recent 
legislation indicates that DOT still has security responsibilities. In 
particular, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 states that the Secretary 
of Transportation is responsible for the security as well as the safety 
of rail and the transport of hazardous materials by all modes.

To clarify their roles and responsibilities in transportation security, 
DOT modal administrations and TSA planned to develop memorandums of 
agreement. The purpose of these documents was to define the roles and 
responsibilities of the different agencies for transportation security 
and address a variety of issues, including separating safety and 
security activities, interfacing with the transportation industry, and 
establishing funding priorities. TSA and the DOT modal administrations 
worked for months to develop the memorandums of agreement and the draft 
agreements were presented to senior DOT and TSA management for review 
in early spring of this year. According to DOT's General Counsel, with 
the exception of the memorandum of agreement between FAA and TSA, the 
draft memorandums were very general and did not provide much 
clarification. Consequently, DOT and TSA decided not to sign the 
memorandums of agreement, except for the memorandum of agreement 
between FAA and TSA, which was signed on February 28, 2003.[Footnote 
22]

The General Counsel suggested several reasons why the majority of the 
draft memorandums of agreement were too general. First, as TSA's 
departure date approached--that is, the date that TSA transferred from 
DOT to DHS--TSA and DOT modal administration officials may have grown 
concerned about formally binding the organizations to specific roles 
and responsibilities. Second, the working relationships between TSA and 
most of the DOT modal administrations are still very new; as a result, 
all of the potential issues, problem areas, or overlap have yet to be 
identified. Thus, identifying items to include in the memorandums of 
agreement was more difficult.

Rather than execute memorandums of agreement, the Secretary of 
Transportation and the Administrator of TSA exchanged correspondence 
that commits each entity to continued coordination and collaboration on 
security measures. In the correspondence, the Secretary and 
Administrator also agreed to use the memorandum of agreement between 
TSA and FAA as a framework for their interactions on security matters 
for all other modes. TSA and DOT officials stated that they believe 
memorandums of agreement are a good strategy for delineating roles and 
responsibilities and said that they would be open to using memorandums 
of agreement in the future.

Experts and Associations Identified Future Actions to Advance the 
Security of the Transportation System:

Transportation security experts and representatives of state and local 
government and industry associations we contacted generally believe 
that the transportation system is more secure today than it was prior 
to September 11. Transportation stakeholders have worked hard to 
strengthen the security of the system. Nevertheless, transportation 
experts, industry representatives, and federal officials all recommend 
that more work be done. Transportation experts and state and local 
government and industry representatives identified a number of actions 
that, in their view, the federal government should take to enhance 
security, including clarifying federal roles and coordinating federal 
efforts, developing a transportation security strategy, funding 
security enhancements, investing in research and development, and 
providing better intelligence information and related guidance. 
Specifically:

* Clarify federal roles and responsibilities. The lack of clarity about 
the roles and responsibilities of federal entities in transportation 
security creates the potential for confusion, duplication, and 
conflicts. Understanding roles, responsibilities, and whom to call is 
crucial in an emergency. However, representatives from several industry 
associations stated that their members were unclear about which agency 
to contact for their various security concerns and which agency has 
oversight for certain issues. Furthermore, they said that they do not 
have contacts within these agencies. As mentioned earlier, several 
industry representatives reported that their members are receiving 
different messages from various federal agencies involved in 
transportation security, which creates confusion and frustration within 
the industry. According to industry representatives and transportation 
security experts, uncertainty about federal roles and the lack of 
coordination are straining intergovernmental relationships, draining 
resources, and raising the potential for problems in responding to 
terrorism. One industry association told us, for instance, that it has 
been asked by three different federal agencies to participate in three 
separate studies of the same issue.

* Establish a national transportation strategy. A national strategy is 
crucial for helping stakeholders identify priorities, leveraging 
resources, establishing stakeholder performance expectations, and 
creating incentives for stakeholders to improve security. Currently, 
local government associations view the absence of performance 
expectations--coupled with limited threat information--as a major 
obstacle in focusing their people and resources on high-priority 
threats, particularly at elevated threat levels. The experts also noted 
that modal strategies--no matter how complete--cannot address the 
complete transportation security problem and will leave gaps in 
preparedness. As mentioned earlier, TSA is in the process of developing 
a national transportation system security plan,[Footnote 23] which, 
according to the Deputy Administrator of TSA, will provide an 
overarching framework for the security of all modes.

* Provide funding for needed security improvements. Although an overall 
security strategy is a prerequisite to investing wisely, providing 
adequate funding also is essential, according to experts we contacted. 
Setting security goals and strategies without adequate funding 
diminishes stakeholders' commitment and willingness to absorb initial 
security investments and long-term operating costs, an expert 
emphasized. Industry and state and local government associations also 
commented that federal funding should accompany any federal security 
standards; otherwise, mandatory standards will be considered unfunded 
mandates that the industry and state and local governments will have to 
absorb.

* Invest in research and development for transportation security. 
According to most transportation security experts and associations we 
contacted, investing in research and development is an appropriate role 
for the federal government, because the products of research and 
development endeavors would likely benefit the entire transportation 
system, not just individual modes or operators. TSA is actively engaged 
in research and development projects, such as the development of the 
next generation explosive detection systems for baggage, hardening of 
aircraft and cargo/baggage containers, biometrics and other access 
control methods, and human factors initiatives to identify methods to 
improve screener performance, at its Transportation Security Laboratory 
in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, TSA noted that continued 
adequate funding for research and development is paramount in order for 
TSA to be able to meet security demands with up-to-date and reliable 
technology.

* Provide timely intelligence information and related guidance. 
Representatives from numerous associations commented that the federal 
government needs to provide timely, localized, actionable intelligence 
information. They said that general threat warnings are not helpful. 
Rather, transportation operators want more specific intelligence 
information so that they can understand the true nature of a potential 
threat and implement appropriate security measures. Without more 
localized and actionable intelligence, stakeholders said they run the 
risk of wasting resources on unneeded security measures or not 
providing an adequate level of security. Moreover, local government 
officials often are not allowed to receive specific intelligence 
information because they do not have appropriate federal security 
clearances. Also, there is little federal guidance on how local 
authorities should respond to a specific threat or general threat 
warnings. For example, San Francisco police were stationed at the 
Golden Gate Bridge to respond to the elevated national threat 
condition. However, without information about the nature of the threat 
to San Francisco's large transportation infrastructure or clear federal 
expectations for a response, it is difficult to judge whether actions 
like this are the most effective use of police protection, according to 
representatives from a local government association.

Observations:

Securing the transportation system is fraught with challenges. Despite 
these challenges, transportation stakeholders have worked to strengthen 
security since September 11. However, more work is needed. It will take 
the collective effort of all transportation stakeholders to meet the 
continuing challenges and enhance the security of the transportation 
system.[Footnote 24]

During TSA's first year of existence, it met a number of challenges, 
including successfully meeting many congressional deadlines for 
aviation security. With the immediate crisis of meeting these deadlines 
behind it, TSA can now examine the security of the entire 
transportation system. As TSA becomes more active in securing the 
maritime and land transportation modes, it will become even more 
important that the roles of TSA and DOT modal administrations are 
clearly defined. Lack of clearly defined roles among the federal 
entities could lead to duplication and confusion. More importantly, it 
could hamper the transportation sector's ability to prepare for and 
respond to attacks. Therefore, in our report, we recommended that the 
Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Transportation 
develop mechanisms, such as a memorandum of agreement, to clearly 
define the roles and responsibilities of TSA and DOT in transportation 
security and communicate this information to stakeholders.

This concludes my prepared statement. I would be pleased to respond to 
any questions you or other Members of the Committee may have.

For information about this testimony, please contact Peter Guerrero, 
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, on (202) 512-2834. 
Individuals making key contributions to this testimony included 
Cathleen Berrick, Steven Calvo, Nikki Clowers, Michelle Dresben, Susan 
Fleming, Libby Halperin, David Hooper, Hiroshi Ishikawa, and Ray 
Sendejas.

[End of section]

Appendix I: Key Transportation Security Efforts of DOT Modal 
Administrations, September 2001 to May 2003:

Mode: All (transport of hazardous materials); DOT modal 
administration: Research and Special Programs Administration (Office 
of Hazardous Materials Safety); Examples of actions taken: 
* Established regulations for shippers and transporters of certain 
hazardous materials to develop and implement security plans and to 
require security awareness training for hazmat employees; 
* Developed hazardous materials transportation security awareness 
training for law enforcement, the industry, and the hazmat community; 
* Published security advisory, which identifies measures that could 
enhance the security of the transport of hazardous materials; 
* Investigated the security risks associated with placarding hazardous 
materials, including whether removing placards from certain shipments 
improve shipment security, and whether alternative methods for 
communicating safety hazards could be deployed.

Mode: Aviation; DOT modal administration: Federal Aviation 
Administration; Examples of actions taken: 
* Established rule for strengthening cockpit doors on commercial 
aircraft; 
* Issued guidance to flight school operators for additional security 
measures; 
* Assisted Department of Justice in increasing background check 
requirements for foreign nationals seeking pilot certificates; 
* Increased access restrictions at air traffic control facilities; 
* Developed computer security strategy.

Mode: Highways; DOT modal administration: Federal Highway 
Administration; Examples of actions taken: 
* Provided vulnerability assessment and emergency preparedness 
workshops; 
* Developed and prioritized list of highway security research and 
development projects; 
* Convened blue ribbon panel on bridge and tunnel vulnerabilities.

Mode: Maritime; DOT modal administration: U.S. Coast Guarda; Maritime 
Administration; Examples of actions taken: 
* Activated and deployed port security units to help support local 
port security patrols in high threat areas; 
* Boarded and inspected ships to search for threats and confirmed the 
identity of those aboard; 
* Conducted initial assessments of the nation's ports to identify 
vessel types and facilities that pose a high risk of being involved in 
a transportation security incident; 
* Established a new centralized National Vessel Movement Center to 
track the movement of all foreign-flagged vessels entering U.S. ports 
of call; 
* Established new guidelines for developing security plans and 
implementing security measures for passenger vessels and passenger 
terminals; 
* Used the pollution and hazardous materials expertise of the Coast 
Guard's National Strike Force to prepare for and respond to 
bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction; 
* Increased port security and terrorism emphasis at National Port 
Readiness Network Port Readiness Exercises; 
* Provided port security training and developed standards and 
curriculum to educate and train maritime security personnel; 
* Increased access restrictions and established new security 
procedures for the Ready Reserve Force; Provided merchant mariner 
background checks for Ready Reserve Force and sealift vessels in 
support of Department of Defense and Coast Guard requirements; 
* Provided merchant mariner force protection training.

Mode: Motor carrier; DOT modal administration: Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration; Examples of actions taken: 
* Conducted 31,000 on-site security sensitivity visits for hazardous 
materials carriers; made recommendations after visits; 
* Initiated a field operational test to evaluate different safety and 
security technologies and procedures, and identify the most cost-
effective means for protecting different types of hazardous cargo for 
security purposes; 
* Provided free training on trucks and terrorism to law enforcement 
officials and industry representatives; 
* Conducted threat assessment of the hazardous materials industry.

Mode: Motor coach; DOT modal administration: Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration; Examples of actions taken: 
* Developed three courses for drivers on security-related information, 
including different threats, how to deal with packages, and how to 
respond in the case of an emergency.

Mode: Pipeline; DOT modal administration: Research and Special 
Programs Administration (Office of Pipeline Safety); Examples of 
actions taken: 
* Developed contact list of operators who own critical systems; 
* Convened blue ribbon panel with operators, state regulators, and 
unions to develop a better understanding of the pipeline system and 
coordinate efforts of the stakeholders; 
* Worked with TSA to develop inspection protocols to use for pipeline 
operator security inspections. The Office of Pipeline Safety and TSA 
have begun the inspection of major operators; 
* Created e:mail network of pipeline operators and a call- in 
telephone number that pipeline operators can use to obtain 
information; 
* Directed pipeline operators to identify critical facilities and 
develop security plans for critical facilities that address 
deterrence, preparedness, and rapid response and recovery from 
attacks; 
* Worked with industry to develop risk-based security guidance, which 
is tied to national threat levels and includes voluntary, recommended 
countermeasures.

Mode: Rail; DOT modal administration: Federal Railroad Administration; 
Examples of actions taken: 
* Shared threat information with railroads and rail labor; 
* Reviewed Association of American Railroads' and Amtrak's security 
plans; 
* Assisted commuter railroads with their security plans; 
* Provided funding for security assessments of three commuter 
railroads, which were included in FTA's assessment efforts; 
* Reached out to international community for lessons learned in rail 
security.

Mode: Transit; DOT modal administration: Federal Transit 
Administration; Examples of actions taken: 
* Awarded $3.4 million in grants to over 80 transit agencies for 
emergency response drills; 
* Offered free security training to transit agencies; 
* Conducted security assessments at the 36 largest transit agencies; 
* Provided technical assistance to 19, with a goal of 60, transit 
agencies on security and emergency plans and emergency response 
drills; 
* Increased funding for security research and development efforts. 

Source: GAO presentation of information provided by DOT modal 
administrations.

[A] The U.S. Coast Guard was transferred to DHS in the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (P.L. No. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (2002)).

[End of table]

[End of section]

Appendix II: Elements of a Risk Management Approach:

A risk management approach encompasses three key elements--a threat 
assessment, vulnerability assessment, and criticality assessment. In 
particular, these three elements provide the following information:

* A threat assessment identifies and evaluates potential threats on the 
basis of such factors as capabilities, intentions, and past activities. 
This assessment represents a systematic approach to identifying 
potential threats before they materialize. However, even if updated 
often, a threat assessment might not adequately capture some emerging 
threats. The risk management approach, therefore, uses vulnerability 
and critical assessments as additional input to the decision-making 
process.  

* A vulnerability assessment identifies weaknesses that may be 
exploited by identified threats and suggests options to address those 
weaknesses.  

* A criticality assessment evaluates and prioritizes assets and 
functions in terms of specific criteria, such as their importance to 
public safety and the economy. The assessment provides a basis for 
identifying which structures or processes are relatively more important 
to protect from attack. Thus, it helps managers determine operational 
requirements and target resources to the highest priorities while 
reducing the potential for targeting resources to lower priorities.  

[End of section]

Appendix III: GAO Active Engagements Related to Transportation 
Security:

TSA Baggage Screening:

Key Questions: 1) What are the status and associated costs of TSA 
efforts to acquire, install, and operate explosive detection equipment 
(Electronic Trace Detection Technology and Explosive Detection Systems) 
to screen all checked baggage by December 31, 2003? 2) What are the 
benefit and tradeoffs--to include costs, operations and performance--of 
using alternative explosive detection technologies currently available 
for baggage screening?

General Aviation Security:

Key Questions: 1) How has security concerns and measures at changed at 
general aviation airports since September 11, 2001? 2) What steps has 
the Transportation Security Administration taken to improve general 
aviation security?

Banner Pilot Waivers:

Key Questions: What are procedures for conducting background and 
security checks for pilots of small banner-towing aircraft requesting 
waivers to perform stadium overflights? (2) To what extent were these 
procedures followed in conducting required background and security 
checks since 9/11? (3) How effective were these procedures in reducing 
risks to public safety?

U.S. Coast Guard Budget And Mission Performance:

Key Questions: (1) What are the levels of effort for USCG's various 
missions? (2) What is USCG's progress in developing a strategic plan 
for setting goals for all of its various missions? (3) What is USCG's 
mission performance as compared to its performance and strategic plans?

Transportation Security Administration's Computer Assisted Passenger 
Prescreening System II (CAPPS-II):

Key Questions: 1) How will the CAPPS-II system function and what data 
will be needed to make the system operationally effective? 2) What 
safeguards will be put in place to protect the traveling public's 
privacy? 3) What systems and measures are in place to determine whether 
CAPPS-II will result in improved national security? 4) What impact will 
CAPPS-II have on the traveling public and airline industry in terms of 
costs, delays, risks, and hassle, etc.?

Transportation Security Administration Passengers Screening Program:

Key Questions: 1) What efforts have been taken or planned to ensure 
passenger screeners comply with federal standards and other criteria, 
to include efforts to train, equip, and supervise passenger screeners? 
2) What methods does TSA use to test screener performance, and what 
have been the results of these tests? 3) How have the results of tests 
of TSA passenger screeners compared to the results achieved by 
screeners prior to 9/11 and at the 5 pilot program airports? 4) What 
actions are TSA taking to remedy performance concerns?

TSA's Use of Sole Source Contracts:

Key Questions: (1) To what extent does TSA follow applicable 
acquisition laws and policies, including ensuring adequate competition? 
(2) How well does TSA's organizational structure facilitate effective, 
efficient procurement? (3) How does TSA ensure that its acquisition 
workforce is equipped to award and oversee contracts? (4) How well do 
TSA's policies and processes ensure that it receives the supplies and 
services it needs on time and at reasonable cost?

TSA's Efforts To Implement Section 106, 136, And 138 Of The Aviation 
And Transportation Security Act:

Key Questions: (1) What is the status of TSA's efforts to implement 
section 106 of the Act requiring improved airport perimeter access 
security? (2) What is the status of TSA's efforts to implement section 
136 requiring assessment and deployment of commercially available 
security practices and technologies? (3) What is the status of TSA's 
efforts to implement section 138 requiring background investigations 
for TSA and other airport employees?

Implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002:

Key Questions: 1) How effectively is the port vulnerability assessment 
process being implemented, and what actions are being taken to address 
deficiencies identified? 2) What progress is being made to develop 
port, vessel, and facility security plans? 3) Does the CG have 
sufficient resources and an action plan to ensure the plans be 
completed, reviewed and approved in time to meet statutory deadlines? 
4) What will it cost stakeholders to comply?

Assessment of the Portable Air Defense Missile Threat:

Key Questions: 1) What is the nature and extent of the threat from 
MANPADs? 2) How effective are U.S. controls on the use of exported 
MANPADs? 3) How do multilateral efforts attempt to stem MANPAD 
proliferation? 4) What types of countermeasures are available to 
minimize this threat and at what cost?

Federal Aviation Administration Designee Program:

Key Questions: (1) What is the nature, scope, and operational framework 
of the designee program? (2) What are the identified strengths and 
weaknesses of the program? (3) What is the potential for FAA's ODA 
proposal and other stakeholders' alternatives to address the identified 
program weaknesses?

Custom Cargo Inspections at Seaports:

Key Questions: (1) How has Customs developed the Automated Targeting 
System (ATS) and the new anti-terrorism rules? (2) How does Customs use 
ATS to identify containerized cargo as "high risk" for screening and 
inspection to detect cargo that might contain weapons of mass 
destruction (WMD)? (3) To what extent is ATS implemented at seaports, 
including impact and challenges involved? (4) What is Customs' plan for 
assessing system implementation and performance?

Enhancement Options for Intermodal Freight Transportation:

Key Questions: 1) What are the current and emerging national challenges 
to freight mobility and what proposals have been put forth to address 
these issues? 2) To what extent do these current and emerging 
challenges exist at container ports and surrounding areas and to what 
extent do the proposals appear to have applicability to these 
locations?

Social Security Administration's Role in Verifying Identities For 
State's Licensing of Drivers:

Key Questions: (1) What are states' policies and practices for 
verifying the identity of driver's license/ID card applicants and how 
might they more effectively use SSNs or other tools to verify identity? 
(2) How does SSA assist states in verifying SSNs for driver's license/
ID card applicants and how can SSA improve the verification service it 
provides?

United States Coast Guard's National Distress and Response "Rescue 21" 
System Modernization:

Key Questions: (1) What are the status, plans, and technical and 
programmatic risks associated with the National Distress and Response 
System (NDRS) Modernization Project? (2) How is the Coast Guard 
addressing concerns with the new NDRS, such as communication coverage 
gaps and the inability to pinpoint distressed boaters? (3) How will 
Coast Guard's new homeland security role affect the NDRS project?

U.S. Border Radiation Detection:

Key Questions: (1) What is the status of Customs' plan to install 
radiation detection equipment at U.S. border crossings? (2) What is the 
basis for the plan's time frame? (3) What is Customs' technical 
capability to implement the plan? (4) How well is Customs coordinating 
with other agencies in the area of radiation detection? (5) What are 
the results of Customs' evaluations of radiation detection equipment 
and how are the evaluations being used?

Airline Assistance Determination Of Whether The $5 Billion Provided by 
P.L. 107-42 Was Used To Compensate The Nation's Major Air Carriers For 
Their Losses Stemming From The Events of Sept. 11, 2001:

Key Questions: (1) Was the $5 billion used only to compensate major air 
carriers for their uninsured losses incurred as a result of the 
terrorist attacks? (2) Were carriers reimbursed, per the act, only for 
increases in insurance premiums resulting from the attacks?

Effectiveness of the Transportation Security Administration's Research 
and Development Program:

Key Questions: (1) What is the budget profile for the Federal Aviation 
Administration's and the Transportation Security Administration's 
(TSA's) aviation security research and development (R&D) program? (2) 
How effective is TSA's strategy for determining which aviation security 
technologies to research and develop? (3) To what extent do 
stakeholders believe that TSA is researching and developing the most 
promising aviation security technologies?

Federal Air Marshals:

Key Questions: (1) How has the FAM program evolved, in terms of 
recruiting, training, retention, and operations since the transfer of 
program management to TSA? (2) To what extent has TSA implemented the 
necessary internal controls to meet the human capital and operational 
challenges of the FAM program? (3) To what extent has TSA developed 
plans and initiatives to accommodate future FAM program sustainability, 
growth and maturation?

[End of section]

Related GAO Products:

Transportation Security Reports and Testimonies:

Transportation Security: Federal Action Needed to Help Address Security 
Challenges, GAO-03-843 (Washington, D.C.  June 30, 2003).

Transportation Security Research: Coordination Needed in Selecting and 
Implementing Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessments, GAO-03-502 
(Washington, D.C.  May 1, 2003).

Rail Safety and Security: Some Actions Already Taken to Enhance Rail 
Security, but Risk-based Plan Needed, GAO-03-435 (Washington, D.C.  
April 30, 2003).

Coast Guard: Challenges during the Transition to the Department of 
Homeland Security, GAO-03-594T (Washington, D.C.  April 1, 2003).

Transportation Security: Post-September 11th Initiatives and Long-Term 
Challenges, GAO-03-616T (Washington, D.C.  April 1, 2003).

Aviation Security: Measures Needed to Improve Security of Pilot 
Certification Process, GAO-03-248NI (Washington, D.C.  February 3, 
2003). (Not for Public Dissemination):

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of 
Transportation, GAO-03-108 (Washington, D.C.  January 1, 2003).

High Risk Series: Protecting Information Systems Supporting the Federal 
Government and the Nation's Critical Infrastructure, GAO-03-121 
(Washington, D.C.  January 1, 2003).

Aviation Safety: Undeclared Air Shipments of Dangerous Goods and DOT's 
Enforcement Approach, GAO-03-22 (Washington, D.C.  January 10, 2003).

Aviation Security: Vulnerabilities and Potential Improvements for the 
Air Cargo System, GAO-03-344 (Washington, D.C.  December 20, 2002).

Mass Transit: Federal Action Could Help Transit Agencies Address 
Security Challenges, GAO-03-263 (Washington, D.C.  December 13, 2002).

Aviation Security: Registered Traveler Program Policy and 
Implementation Issues, GAO-03-253 (Washington, D.C.  November 22, 
2002).

Computer Security: Progress Made, But Critical Federal Operations and 
Assets Remain at Risk, GAO-03-303T (Washington, D.C.  November 19, 
2002).

Container Security: Current Efforts to Detect Nuclear Materials, New 
Initiatives, and Challenges, GAO-03-297T (Washington, D.C.  November 
18, 2002).

Coast Guard: Strategy Needed for Setting and Monitoring Levels of 
Effort for All Missions, GAO-03-155 (Washington, D.C.  November 12, 
2002).

Mass Transit: Challenges in Securing Transit Systems, GAO-02-1075T 
(Washington, D.C.  September 18, 2002).

Pipeline Safety and Security: Improved Workforce Planning and 
Communication Needed, GAO-02-785 (Washington, D.C.  August 26, 2002).

Port Security: Nation Faces Formidable Challenges in Making New 
Initiatives Successful, GAO-02-993T (Washington, D.C.  August 5, 2002).

Aviation Security: Transportation Security Administration Faces 
Immediate and Long-Term Challenges, GAO-02-971T (Washington, D.C.  July 
25, 2002).

Critical infrastructure Protection: Significant Challenges Need to Be 
Addressed, GAO-02-961T (Washington, D.C.  July 24, 2002).

Combating Terrorism: Preliminary Observations on Weaknesses in Force 
Protection for DOD Deployments Through Domestic Seaports, GAO-02-955TNI 
(Washington, D.C.  July 23, 2002). (Not for Public Dissemination):

Information Concerning the Arming of Commercial Pilots, GA0-02-822R 
(Washington, D.C.  June 28, 2002).

Aviation Security: Deployment and Capabilities of Explosive Detection 
Equipment, GAO-02-713C (Washington, D.C.  June 20, 2002). (Classified):

Coast Guard: Budget and Management Challenges for 2003 and Beyond, GAO-
02-538T (Washington, D.C.  March 19, 2002).

Aviation Security: Information on Vulnerabilities in the Nation's Air 
Transportation System, GAO-01-1164T (Washington, D.C.  September 26, 
2001). (Not for Public Dissemination):

Aviation Security: Information on the Nation's Air Transportation 
System Vulnerabilities, GAO-01-1174T (Washington, D.C.  September 26, 
2001). (Not for Public Dissemination):

Aviation Security: Vulnerabilities in, and Alternatives for, Preboard 
Screening Security Operations, GAO-01-1171T (Washington, D.C.  
September 25, 2001).

Aviation Security: Weaknesses in Airport Security and Options for 
Assigning Screening Responsibilities, GAO-01-1165T (Washington, D.C.  
September 21, 2001).

Aviation Security: Terrorist Acts Illustrate Severe Weaknesses in 
Aviation Security, GAO-01-1166T (Washington, D.C.  September 20, 2001).

Aviation Security: Terrorist Acts Demonstrate Urgent Need to Improve 
Security at the Nation's Airports, GAO-01-1162T (Washington, D.C.  
September 20, 2001).

Terrorism and Risk Management:

Homeland Security: Information Sharing Responsibilities, Challenges, 
and Key Management Issues, GAO-03-715T (Washington, D.C.  May 8, 2003).

Transportation Security Administration: Actions and Plans to Build a 
Results-Oriented Culture, GAO-03-190 (Washington, D.C.  January 17, 
2003).

Homeland Security: Management Challenges Facing Federal Leadership, 
GAO-03-260 (Washington, D.C.  December 20, 2002).

Homeland Security: Information Technology Funding and Associated 
Management Issues, GAO-03-250 (Washington, D.C.  December 13, 2002).

Homeland Security: Information Sharing Activities Face Continued 
Management Challenges, GAO-02-1122T (Washington, D.C.  October 1, 
2002).

National Preparedness: Technology and Information Sharing Challenges, 
GAO-02-1048R (Washington, D.C.  August 30, 2002).

Homeland Security: Effective Intergovernmental Coordination Is Key to 
Success, GAO-02-1013T (Washington, D.C.  August 23, 2002).

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Federal Efforts Require a More 
Coordinated and Comprehensive Approach for Protecting Information 
Systems, GAO-02-474 (Washington, D.C.  July 15, 2002).

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Significant Homeland Security 
Challenges Need to Be Addressed, GAO-02-918T (Washington, D.C.  July 9, 
2002).

Homeland Security: Intergovernmental Coordination and Partnership Will 
Be Critical to Success, GAO-02-901T (Washington, D.C.  July 3, 2002).

Homeland Security: New Department Could Improve Coordination but May 
Complicate Priority Setting, GAO-02-893T (Washington, D.C.  June 28, 
2002).

National Preparedness: Integrating New and Existing Technology and 
Information Sharing into an Effective Homeland Security Strategy, GAO-
02-811T (Washington, D.C.  June 7, 2002).

Homeland Security: Responsibility and Accountability for Achieving 
National Goals, GAO-02-627T (Washington, D.C.  April 11, 2002).

National Preparedness: Integration of Federal, State, Local, and 
Private Sector Efforts is Critical to an Effective National Strategy 
for Homeland Security, GAO-02-621T (Washington, D.C.  April 11, 2002).

Combating Terrorism: Intergovernmental Cooperation in the Development 
of a National Strategy to Enhance State and Local Preparedness, GAO-02-
550T (Washington, D.C.  April 2, 2002).

Combating Terrorism: Enhancing Partnerships Through a National 
Preparedness Strategy, GAO-02-549T (Washington, D.C.  March 28, 2002).

Combating Terrorism: Critical Components of a National Strategy to 
Enhance State and Local Preparedness, GAO-02-548T (Washington, D.C.  
March 25, 2002).

Combating Terrorism: Intergovernmental Partnership in a National 
Strategy to Enhance State and Local Preparedness, GAO-02-547T 
(Washington, D.C.  March 22, 2002).

Homeland Security: Progress Made; More Direction and Partnership 
Sought, GAO-02-490T (Washington, D.C.  March 12, 2002).

Combating Terrorism: Key Aspects of a National Strategy to Enhance 
State and Local Preparedness, GAO-02-473T (Washington, D.C.  March 1, 
2002).

Homeland Security: Challenges and Strategies in Addressing Short-and 
Long-Term National Needs, GAO-02-160T (Washington, D.C.  November 7, 
2001).

Homeland Security: A Risk Management Approach Can Guide Preparedness 
Efforts, GAO-02-208T (Washington, D.C.  October 31, 2001).

Combating Terrorism: Considerations for Investing Resources in Chemical 
and Biological Preparedness, GAO-02-162T (Washington, D.C.  October 17, 
2001).

Information Sharing: Practices That Can Benefit Critical Infrastructure 
Protection, GAO-02-24 (Washington, D.C.  October 15, 2001).

Homeland Security: Key Elements of a Risk Management Approach, GAO-02-
150T (Washington, D.C.  October 12, 2001).

Chemical and Biological Defense: Improved Risk Assessment and Inventory 
Management Are Needed, GAO-01-667 (Washington, D.C.  September 28, 
2001).

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Significant Challenges in 
Safeguarding Government and Privately Controlled Systems from Computer-
Based Attacks, GAO-01-1168T (Washington, D.C.  September 26, 2001).

Homeland Security: A Framework for Addressing the Nation's Efforts, 
GAO-01-1158T (Washington, D.C.  September 21, 2001).

Combating Terrorism: Selected Challenges and Related Recommendations, 
GAO-01-822 (Washington, D.C.  September 20, 2001).

FOOTNOTES

[1] Transportation operators may be private, public, or quasi-public 
entities that provide transportation services.

[2] U.S. General Accounting Office, Transportation Security: Federal 
Action Needed to Help Address Security Challenges, GAO-03-843 
(Washington, D.C.  June 30, 2003). For this report, we analyzed the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation's threat assessment and the 
administration's security strategies, the Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) 
security-related documents and reports, and relevant statutes and 
regulations. In addition, we interviewed officials from DOT, the 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), and TSA as well as 
representatives from numerous transportation industry associations and 
transportation security experts. We selected transportation industry 
and state and local government associations that represent the 
different modes of transportation and levels of government. We selected 
transportation security experts on the basis of their knowledge and 
expertise and reputation as being experts in the transportation 
security arena. We also consulted with the National Academy of Sciences 
in identifying appropriate transportation security experts. Finally, we 
reviewed our past reports on homeland, port, transit, and aviation 
security and other research on terrorism and transportation security. 
We conducted our work from February 2003 through May 2003, in 
accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.

[3] See Related GAO Products at the end of this testimony. 

[4] DOT's modal administrations are the departmental units responsible 
for the different modes of transportation, such as the Federal Railroad 
Administration or the Federal Highway Administration.

[5] GAO-03-843.

[6] P.L. No. 107-71, 115 Stat. 597 (2001).

[7] P.L. No. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (2002).

[8] Similarly, there are opportunities for cross contamination within 
the same mode. For example, a bag containing an explosive device could 
be placed on one airline and then transferred to another airline where 
it explodes.

[9] DHS created the Homeland Security Advisory System. The system has 
five threat conditions--ranging from low to severe--representing 
different levels of risk for terrorist attacks.

[10] Operation Safe Commerce focuses on using new technology, such as 
container seals, to help shippers ensure the integrity of the cargo 
included in containers being sent to the United States.

[11] Meeting the Homeland Security Challenge: A Principled Strategy for 
a Balanced and Practical Response (September 2001); and Global Trade: 
America's Achilles' Heel (February 2002) by Admiral James M. Loy and 
Captain Robert G. Ross, U.S. Coast Guard.

[12] General aviation includes more than 200,000 corporate and 
privately owned aircraft at over 19,000 airports.

[13] U.S. General Accounting Office, Rail Safety and Security: Some 
Actions Already Taken to Enhance Rail Security, but Risk-based Plan 
Needed, GAO-03-435 (Washington, D.C.  Apr. 30, 2003).

[14] P.L. No. 107-71, 115 Stat. 597 (2001).

[15] P.L. No. 107-56, 115 Stat. 272 (2001).

[16] P.L. No. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (2002).

[17] The U.S. Coast Guard was also transferred to DHS. In the Terms of 
Reference Regarding the Respective Roles of the U.S. Coast Guard and 
the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard is 
designated as the lead DHS agency for maritime security and is directed 
to coordinate as appropriate with other agencies. The document further 
notes that a supporting memorandum of agreement between the Commandant 
of the Coast Guard and the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration is being developed.

[18] The Homeland Security Act, P.L. 107-296 (November 25, 2002) the 
legislation that created DHS, amended this deadline to allow some 
airports up to an extra year (December 31, 2003) to deploy all of the 
necessary explosive detection equipment to enable TSA to screen all 
checked baggage. TSA reported that as of December 31, 2002, about 90 
percent of all checked baggage were screened with an explosive 
detection system or explosives trace detection equipment and the 
remaining checked baggage was screened using alternative means as is 
allowed under the law.

[19] The U.S. Customs Service was transferred from the Department of 
Treasury to DHS in the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. No. 107-296, 
116 Stat. 2135 (2002)) and renamed the Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection.

[20] The Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate 
within DHS is working with TSA, the Coast Guard, and other federal 
agencies on developing a set of national standards that would apply to 
all ports. These efforts are well under way. The Coast Guard has been 
developing a set of standards since May 2002 as part of its efforts to 
conduct vulnerability assessments for all U.S. ports. The standards 
will go into effect on July 1, 2004, as part of the International 
Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) amendments and the 
International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) that was 
adopted by the International Maritime Organization conference in 
December 2002. The Coast Guard considers that the implementation of 
these standards is best done through mandating compliance with the 
SOLAS amendments and the ISPS Code. According to TSA, because of the 
Coast Guard's significant role in securing maritime transportation, TSA 
will likely play a coordination role in the maritime arena.

[21] P.L. No. 107-71, 115 Stat. 597 (2001).

[22] DOT and TSA have signed other memorandums of agreement that are 
narrow in scope and address a specific issue. For example, TSA and DOT 
signed a memorandum of agreement regarding the processing of civil 
rights complaints. 

[23] TSA hopes to have a draft of the national transportation system 
security plan prepared by the end of this year.

[24] See appendix III for a listing of active GAO engagements related 
to transportation security.