---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 1103"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "1103"
heading: "National Transportation Security Center of Excellence"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/1103"
units:
  - "Chapter 4 — Transportation Security"
  - "Subchapter I — Transportation Security Planning and Information Sharing"
---

# §1103. National Transportation Security Center of Excellence

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) shall establish a National Transportation Security [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) of Excellence to conduct research and education activities, and to develop or provide professional security training, including the training of transportation employees and transportation professionals.
- (b) **Designation—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) shall select one of the institutions identified in [subsection (c)](#c) as the lead institution responsible for coordinating the National Transportation Security [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) of Excellence.
- (c) **Member institutions—**
  - (1) **Consortium—** The institution of higher education selected under [subsection (b)](#b) shall execute agreements with the other institutions of higher education identified in this subsection and other institutions designated by the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) to develop a consortium to assist in accomplishing the goals of the [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Members—** The National Transportation Security [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) of Excellence shall consist of—
    - (A) Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas;
    - (B) the National Transit Institute at Rutgers, The [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) University of New Jersey;
    - (C) Tougaloo College;
    - (D) the Connecticut Transportation Institute at the University of Connecticut;
    - (E) the [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security Management Institute, Long Island University;
    - (F) the Mack-Blackwell National Rural Transportation Study [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) at the University of Arkansas; and
    - (G) any additional institutions or facilities designated by the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2).
  - (3) **Certain inclusions—** To the extent practicable, the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) shall ensure that an appropriate number of any additional consortium colleges or universities designated by the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) under this subsection are Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities.
- (d) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section—
  - (1) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
  - (2) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
  - (3) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
  - (4) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XII, § 1205, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 387.)