S. 3379: Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-09-21 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-09-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act

Plain summary

Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to assess, and implement a risk-based strategy to address, threats posed to surface transportation and maritime systems. The TSA shall establish the Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Advisory Committee to develop recommendations for improvements to surface transportation and maritime security. In addition, the bill: allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand the TSA's explosives-detection canine-team program; requires the Government Accountability Office to study specified matters related to surface transportation; expands the permissible uses of railroad security improvement grants; requires the TSA to issue a decision on the use of a passenger vetting system by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak); requires the TSA to establish processes to improve background checks and terrorism vetting; requires DHS to commission an assessment of its transportation security card program and, if applicable, develop a corrective action plan; with respect to transportation security card applications, establishes priority for members of the Armed Forces; requires DHS to evaluate cargo-container scanning technologies; and revises other provisions related to transportation security.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] reported raising $4.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s3379.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s3379 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114