House panel’s homeland security bill includes trucking-related measures

The House Homeland Security Committee on June 28 approved legislation (H.R. 2825) to authorize funding and programs for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including several measures related to surface transportation and trucking. Provisions related to trucking include:

• Authorization of the voluntary use of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for security at transportation facilities other than ports (Sec. 585);

• Relief from the requirement for a separate security threat assess for a hazardous materials endorsement for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) if the individual has already undergone an assessment for a TWIC (Sec. 586);

• Requires the Transportation Security Administration to establish a program to enhance the security of surface transportation through awareness training of surface transportation operators – including motor carriers – and frontline employees (Sec. 584);

• Repealed a prohibition on TSA implementing requirements related to motor carrier security-sensitive tracking technologies without first obtaining approval from Congress (Sec. 589);

• Requires DHS to develop and implement a plan to use the FBI's Rap Back Service to establish recurrent vetting capabilities for individuals holding valid transportation security cards (Sec. 587.