GAO criticizes rail security assessment

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - Transportation officials have yet to assess the risks of a terror attack on the nation's passenger rail system, congressional investigators said Thursday.

The finding by the Government Accountability Office was disclosed at a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on rail security. After the July 2005 London subway bombings, the GAO recommended that the Transportation Security Administration conduct a risk assessment of passenger rail systems. The TSA, formed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, is responsible for the security of the nation's transportation systems.

Cathleen Berrick, the GAO's director of homeland security and justice issues, told the committee that until the TSA finishes its risk assessment, the agency may not know which rail systems are more at risk than others.

"Given competing priorities and limited homeland security resources, difficult policy decisions have to be made by Congress and the executive branch to prioritize security efforts and direct resources to areas of greatest risk," Berrick said.

TSA Director Edmund S. "Kip" Hawley said the agency is working with a host of other federal agencies and entities to make sure passenger rail systems are safe. TSA's goal is to apply a "common methodology across all transportation systems, regardless of mode," Hawley said.

That includes assessing threat levels, vulnerability and the consequence of an attack, developing baseline security standards as well as enhanced systems of security, he added.

"TSA has a clear strategy to address surface transportation security," Hawley said.

Several committee members were critical of TSA's efforts.

"I'm frustrated with the Bush administration's foot-dragging on measures to secure the nation's rail systems," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg (news, bio, voting record), D-N.J. "Terrorists have attacked passenger rail systems in other countries since 9/11, but the lessons of those attacks continue to be ignored by the administration."

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070118/ap_on_go_ot/senate_rail_security [link]