Title 6Domestic SecurityRelease 119-73

§1137a Local law enforcement security training

Title 6 › Chapter CHAPTER 4— - TRANSPORTATION SECURITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SECURITY › § 1137a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Homeland Security can create, using the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and talking with public and private groups, a training program to help law enforcement protect, prepare for, and respond to terrorism and other threats, including targeted violence, at surface transportation sites. The training must use up-to-date information on attackers’ tactics, teach tactics suited to different transportation settings, and give priority to officers from agencies eligible for or receiving grants under 6 U.S.C. 604 and 6 U.S.C. 605 and to officers who work for railroad carriers that run passenger service, including interstate passenger service. If the Secretary starts the program, a report must be sent to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs not later than one year after the program begins, and every year after that. Each report must describe the curriculum and any changes, list contracts used, say which agencies and how many people were trained, and explain how privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties were protected. Definitions: public and private sector stakeholders — government and private groups named in law; surface transportation asset — transit agencies, railroad carriers, over‑the‑road bus services and terminals, and other transit facilities; targeted violence — an attacker picking a target to cause mass harm without a clear political motive; terrorism — domestic and international terrorism as defined in 18 U.S.C. 2331.

Full Legal Text

Title 6, §1137a

Domestic Security — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with public and private sector stakeholders, may in a manner consistent with the protection of privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties, develop, through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, a training program to enhance the protection, preparedness, and response capabilities of law enforcement agencies with respect to threats of terrorism and other threats, including targeted violence, at a surface transportation asset.
(b)If the Secretary of Homeland Security develops the training program described in subsection (a), such training program shall—
(1)be informed by current information regarding tactics used by terrorists and others engaging in targeted violence;
(2)include tactical instruction tailored to the diverse nature of the surface transportation asset operational environment; and
(3)prioritize training officers from law enforcement agencies that are eligible for or receive grants under section 11 So in original. 2003 or 1 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 604 and 1 605) and officers employed by railroad carriers that operate passenger service, including interstate passenger service.
(c)If the Secretary of Homeland Security develops the training program described in subsection (a), not later than one year after the date on which the Secretary first implements the program, and annually thereafter during each year the Secretary carries out the program, the Secretary 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 program. Each such report shall include, for the year covered by the report—
(1)a description of the curriculum for the training and any changes to such curriculum;
(2)an identification of any contracts entered into for the development or provision of training under the program;
(3)information on the law enforcement agencies the personnel of which received the training, and for each such agency, the number of participants; and
(4)a description of the measures used to ensure the program was carried out to provide for protections of privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties.
(d)In this section:
(1)The term “public and private sector stakeholders” has the meaning given such term in section 114(t)(1)(c) 22 So in original. Probably should be “114(t)(1)(C)”. of title 49.
(2)The term “surface transportation asset” includes facilities, equipment, or systems used to provide transportation services by—
(A)a public transportation agency (as such term is defined in section 1131(5) of this title);
(B)a railroad carrier (as such term is defined in section 20102(3) of title 49);
(C)an owner or operator of—
(i)an entity offering scheduled, fixed-route transportation services by over-the-road bus (as such term is defined in section 1151(4) of this title); or
(ii)a bus terminal; or
(D)other transportation facilities, equipment, or systems, as determined by the Secretary.
(3)The term “targeted violence” means an incident of violence in which an attacker selected a particular target in order to inflict mass injury or death with no discernable political or ideological motivation beyond mass injury or death.
(4)The term “terrorism” means the terms—
(A)domestic terrorism (as such term is defined in section 2331(5) of title 18); and
(B)international terrorism (as such term is defined in section 2331(1) of title 18).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, and not as part of the National Transit Systems Security Act of 2007 which comprises this subchapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

6 U.S.C. § 1137a

Title 6Domestic Security

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73