H.R. 549 – Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:53 AM UTC

The Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act amends the 9/11 Commission Act to clarify how transit security grant money can be spent and to set minimum time frames for using those funds. It adds “and associated backfill” to the list of allowable uses, requires that grant money remain available for at least 36 months (or 55 months for certain project types), and orders a GAO review of the program with reports to Congress. The changes affect public‑transportation agencies that receive security assistance grants and the federal agencies that oversee the program.

Key Provisions

Allows grant funds to be used for security training and associated backfill, expanding permissible expenditures.
Sets a minimum grant performance period of 36 months for most uses and 55 months for specific project categories listed in the law.
Mandates a GAO review of the transit security grant program, including assessments of project types, threat mitigation, and fund management.
Requires the GAO to submit reports to the House and Senate Homeland Security committees within one year and again within five years of the act’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

February 1, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 13, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

January 13, 2017

HouseFloor

Mr. Donovan moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

January 31, 2017 • 3:45 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H791-792)

January 31, 2017 • 3:45 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 549.

January 31, 2017 • 3:45 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H791)

January 31, 2017 • 3:53 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H791)

January 31, 2017 • 3:53 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

January 31, 2017 • 3:53 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

February 1, 2017

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 549 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.R-NY-11 · Jan 31, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 549) to amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to clarify certain allowable uses of funds for…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 549) to amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to clarify certain allowable uses of funds for public transportation security assistance grants and establish periods of performance for such grants, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 549, the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act. With more than 10 billion riders using surface transportation annually and limited security screening, it should not be surprising to us that terrorists have an interest in targeting mass transit. We saw it in London, Madrid, Brussels, and when a terrorist left a backpack of IEDs at a transit station in Elizabeth, New Jersey, last fall.

Given the repeated calls from ISIS and other radical Islamic terrorist groups for lone wolves and sympathizers to plan smaller attacks where larger crowds gather, we must ensure that the first responders and transit agencies have the tools they need to secure our transit systems.

That is why, last Congress, I introduced the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act. This bill addresses concerns raised during a field hearing the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications held last year in Ranking Member Payne's district on preparedness for incidents impacting surface transportation. As chairman of that subcommittee, I introduced this legislation to ensure action follows our subcommittee's oversight, and that is why I reintroduced this commonsense legislation in the 115th Congress.

Witnesses at last year's field hearing testified about the importance of the transit security grant program, but found that the period of performance was a challenging timeframe to meet, especially for completing vital, large-scale capital security projects. These projects are vital to transit agencies to help enhance their security features systemwide and harden infrastructure.

H.R. 549 addresses this challenge by codifying the period of performance for transit security grant program awards at 36 months for the majority of eligible projects and extending the period of performance for large-scale capital security projects to 55 months.

Additionally, transit security grant program awards can be used to provide personnel with effective security training. Unfortunately, recipients of these awards are not currently permitted to use transit security grant program funds to pay for backfilling personnel attending such training. In some cases, that extra cost at the transit agency has resulted in an inability to send staff for vital security training. My bill will permit transit security grant program funds to be used for this purpose, consistent with other Homeland Security grant programs.

The current threat environment is evolving and complex, which makes it even more imperative that the transit security grant program provide flexible solutions for grant recipients. I am proud to sponsor this bipartisan legislation, which passed the House by voice vote last year.

I urge all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 549.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I, once again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 549.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr.D-NJ-10 · Jan 31, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 549, the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act. As the threats to our homeland continue to evolve, transit…

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued February 1, 2017

IIB

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 549

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 1, 2017

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

AN ACT

To amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to clarify certain allowable uses of funds for public transportation security assistance grants and establish periods of performance for such grants, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act.

2.

Allowable uses of funds for public transportation security assistance grants

Subparagraph (A) of section 1406(b)(2) of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1135(b)(2); Public Law 110–53) is amended by inserting and associated backfill after security training.

3.

Periods of performance for public transportation security assistance grants

Section 1406 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1135; Public Law 110–53) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n); and

(2)

by inserting after subsection (l) the following new subsection:

(m)

Periods of performance

(1)

In general

Except as provided in paragraph (2), funds provided pursuant to a grant awarded under this section for a use specified in subsection (b) shall remain available for use by a grant recipient for a period of not fewer than 36 months.

(2)

Exception

Funds provided pursuant to a grant awarded under this section for a use specified in subparagraph (M) or (N) of subsection (b)(1) shall remain available for use by a grant recipient for a period of not fewer than 55 months.

.

4.

GAO review

(a)

In general

The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the transit security grant program under section 1406 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1135; Public Law 110–53).

(b)

Scope

The review required under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(1)

An assessment of the type of projects funded under the transit security grant program referred to in such paragraph.

(2)

An assessment of the manner in which such projects address threats to transportation infrastructure.

(3)

An assessment of the impact, if any, of this Act (including the amendments made by this Act) on types of projects funded under the transit security grant program.

(4)

An assessment of the management and administration of transit security grant program funds by grantees.

(5)

Recommendations to improve the manner in which transit security grant program funds address vulnerabilities in transportation infrastructure.

(6)

Recommendations to improve the management and administration of the transit security grant program.

(c)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and again not later than 5 years after such date of enactment, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the review required under this section.

Passed the House of Representatives January 31, 2017.

Karen L. Haas,

Clerk