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Blumenthal Calls For Rail Security Upgrades Following Paris Attack

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- U.S. Sens. Richard Blumanthal (D - Conn.) and Cory Booker (D- N.J.) are calling on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to beef up railroad security measures following a recent armed attack on a Paris train. 

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

Photo Credit: File

The Senators are putting the TSA to task for failing to impliment safety measures that were mandated by congress in legislation penned back in 2007.

“Rail security has been a neglected afterthought in fighting transportation terrorism. TSA spends approximately $124 million annually on surface transportation security, which is only a fraction – just two percent of the total $5.6 billion that is spent on aviation security," Blumenthal said in a statement. "While we must continue to focus on aviation security, we know from events around the globe – attacks in London, Moscow, Madrid, Mumbai, and now Paris – vastly heightened vigilance is needed on our rails.”

In the letter, the senators told the TSA that more people ride trains than airports each day and that Penn Station handles more passengers on a daily basis than all three New York City-area airports combined.

“Action on many Congressional mandates has languished for far too long….The legislation was enacted in August 2007 and these items were all due within one year of that date," the letter said. "As of August 2015 – over seven years since the last deadline – we still do not have final action on these requirements."

Click here to read the full text of the letter.

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