Sen. Snowe pushes bus security measure

WASHINGTON – Sen. Olympia J. Snowe is reintroducing a proposal to increase security on buses that has languished in Congress since the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The Maine Republican, along with Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., introduced a bill Tuesday that would authorize $99 million over two years to fund a bus security grant program administered by the federal Department of Transportation.

The grants can be used by bus lines and terminals for random screening of passengers and baggage through the use of metal-detecting wands; creating a ticket-identification system; or establishing a nationwide emergency communications system providing location, and audio monitoring for bus traffic.