--- kind: "section" citation: "6 U.S.C. § 1185" title: "6" title_heading: "Domestic Security" number: "1185" heading: "Over-the-road bus security research and development" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/1185" units: - "Chapter 4 — Transportation Security" - "Subchapter IV — Surface Transportation Security" - "Part C — Over-the-Road Bus and Trucking Security" --- # §1185. Over-the-road bus security research and development - (a) **Establishment of research and development program—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2), acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) for Science and Technology and the [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) of the Transportation Security Administration, shall carry out a research and development program for the purpose of improving the security of over-the-road buses. - (b) **Eligible projects—** The research and development program may include projects— - (1) to reduce the vulnerability of over-the-road buses, stations, terminals, and equipment to explosives and hazardous chemical, biological, and radioactive substances, including the development of technology to screen passengers in large numbers with minimal interference and disruption; - (2) to test new [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) response and recovery techniques and technologies, including those used at international borders; - (3) to develop improved technologies, including those for— - (A) [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) response training, including training in a tunnel environment, if appropriate; and - (B) security and redundancy for critical communications, electrical power, computer, and over-the-road bus control systems; and - (4) to address other vulnerabilities and risks identified by the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2). - (c) **Coordination with other research initiatives—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2)— - (1) shall ensure that the research and development program is consistent with the other transportation security research and development programs required by this Act; - (2) shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate the research and development activities of the [Department](/usc/6/1101.md?p=1) with other ongoing research and development security-related initiatives, including research being conducted by— - (A) the [Department](/usc/6/1101.md?p=1) of Transportation, including University Transportation [Centers](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) and other institutes, [centers](/usc/6/681.md?p=1), and simulators funded by the [Department](/usc/6/1101.md?p=1) of Transportation; - (B) the National Academy of Sciences; - (C) the Technical Support Working Group; - (D) other Federal [departments](/usc/6/1101.md?p=1) and [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1); and - (E) other Federal and private research laboratories, research [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2), and institutions of higher education, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities; - (3) shall carry out any research and development project authorized by this section through a reimbursable agreement with an appropriate [Federal agency](/usc/6/677a.md?p=4), if the [agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1)— - (A) is currently sponsoring a research and development project in a similar area; or - (B) has a unique facility or capability that would be useful in carrying out the project; - (4) may award grants and enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, other transactions, or reimbursable agreements to the [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2) described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2) and eligible recipients under [section 1182 of this title](/usc/6/1182.md); and - (5) shall make reasonable efforts to enter into memoranda of understanding, contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions with private operators providing over-the-road bus transportation willing to contribute [assets](/usc/6/101.md?p=3), physical space, and other resources. - (d) **Privacy and civil rights and civil liberties issues—** - (1) **Consultation—** In carrying out research and development projects under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) shall consult with the Chief Privacy Officer of the [Department](/usc/6/1101.md?p=1) and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the [Department](/usc/6/1101.md?p=1) as appropriate and in accordance with [section 142 of this title](/usc/6/142.md). - (2) **Privacy impact assessments—** In accordance with sections [142](/usc/6/142.md) and [345](/usc/6/345.md) of this title, the Chief Privacy Officer shall conduct privacy impact assessments and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties shall conduct reviews, as appropriate, for research and development initiatives developed under this section that the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) determines could have an impact on privacy, civil rights, or civil liberties. - (e) **Authorization of appropriations—** - (1) **In general—** From the amounts appropriated pursuant to [section 114(w)](/usc/6/114.md)[^1] of title 49, there shall be made available to the [Secretary](/usc/6/1101.md?p=2) to carry out this section— - (A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; - (B) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; - (C) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and - (D) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. - (2) **Period of availability—** Such sums shall remain available until expended. ## Footnotes [^1]: See References in Text note below. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1535, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 462.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text This Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), is Pub. L. 110–53, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 266, known as the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, which enacted this chapter and enacted and amended numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2007 Amendment note set out under section 101 of this title and Tables. Section 114(w) of title 49, referred to in subsec. (e)(1), was redesignated section 114(v) of title 49 by Pub. L. 115–254, div. K, § 1904(b)(1)(I), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3545.