(Gannett News Service circulated the following story by Raju Chebium on December 24.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg will chair a railway subcommittee when the new Congress begins work Jan. 4, his office learned Friday.
The Democrat said his biggest priority would be passing rail-security legislation to provide federal money to strengthen train tunnels, including the two PATH tunnels linking New Jersey and New York.
The New York Times reported Friday, based on a leaked report presented to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, that the two tunnels are more vulnerable than previously thought, and that even relatively small explosions could flood the tunnels within minutes.
“The security of our tunnels has been ignored for too long. I am going to change that in the next Congress,” Lautenberg said in a statement.
Lautenberg will chair a subcommittee overseeing rail tunnels; that panel is part of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. He’s already is in line to chair an environment subcommittee dealing with transportation security.
The rail-security bill would seek $470 million to strengthen Amtrak tunnels in New Jersey and New York, require rail workers to get security training, and protect whistleblowers who expose security problems.
In July, the Bush administration approved the first phase of the $7 billion project to build another rail tunnel under the Hudson River for use by NJ Transit and Amtrak trains.
There are three rail tunnels under the Hudson. Two carry PATH trains, and the third carries commuter and Amtrak trains.
Vietnam concerns
Congress voted this month to normalize trade relations with Vietnam, but Rep. Christopher H. Smith says the Southeast Asian nation has a troubling record on religious freedom.
The Hamilton Republican held a hearing Thursday on the State Department’s latest report on how various countries fare in allowing their citizens to practice their religious faiths.
“I have reservations about the . . . decision to remove Vietnam as a country of particular concern. It is difficult to believe that in only one year the situation improved to warrant its removal from the list,” Smith said.
He said he visited Vietnam a year ago and met with two Catholic priests who were imprisoned for their religious beliefs and speaking out about religious freedom.