Congressman Tierney also supported a bill entitled the Rail and Mass Transit Security Act, which passed the House in 2007. This important bill is designed to close the security gaps facing rail and mass transit and includes provisions on such issues as training, grants, security planning, research and development, and shipments of sensitive materials. The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop a national plan for protecting railways, mass transit and inter-city buses from attacks, and authorizes $6 billion over four years for grants to protect these transportation systems.This bill now awaits action in the U.S. Senate.