Amtrak Unprepared, Underfunded For Security Threats

Billions of dollars in Dept. of Homeland funding is earmarked for improving security of air and sea ports but nation's railroads are neglected.

1 minute read

March 23, 2004, 1:00 PM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"In a letter sent to Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge on March 12, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) demanded an explanation for the imbalance between the billions of dollars in Department of Homeland Security funding earmarked for new security technologies at air and sea ports and the meager $115 million made available to protect railroads...A DHS spokesman said rail system security is primarily the responsibility of Amtrak and state and local authorities. The spokesman also acknowledged that Amtrak passengers aren't screened against any DHS terrorist watch-list database."

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

Monday, March 22, 2004 in ComputerWorld

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