Feds to Launch Vehicle Anti-Terrorism Pilot Program: Rental Companies Get New Reporting Rules

This bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to create a pilot program aimed at preventing and mitigating acts of terrorism that use motor vehicles. The program focuses on improving information sharing between the government and companies that rent or sell large vehicles like trucks, vans, and buses.

Nuts and Bolts of the Program

Within a year of this Act becoming law, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will kick off a pilot program, set to last for up to one year. Here's the game plan:

1. Standardized Reporting: DHS will develop a standard for what info rental agencies should collect for "suspicious activity reports," consulting with the auto sale and rental industry (Sec 1(a)(1)).
2. Threat Assessments: The Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis will provide rental and sales operators with a threat assessment regarding large vehicle terrorism threats (Sec 1(a)(2)).
3. Training and Guidance: DHS will offer guidance to improve suspicious activity reporting, including training for employees on spotting potential threats (Sec 1(a)(3)).
4. Tech Support: The program provides technical assistance to help companies access and use the suspicious activity reporting system (Sec 1(a)(4)).
5. Watchlist Checks: If necessary, DHS will create a process to check customer information against a terrorist watchlist (excluding classified data). Dealers and rental companies will be allowed to notify the FBI of a sale or rental if a potential match arises (Sec 1(a)(5)).

Real-World Rollout

Imagine you're renting a cargo van for a weekend move. Under this program, the rental company might collect more detailed information than before, and that info could be checked against a government watchlist. If something flags as suspicious – though the bill doesn't define what counts as "suspicious" – the company could alert the FBI. The idea is to catch potential threats before they happen. For example, a moving company owner renting multiple large trucks in a short period might trigger a closer look, or someone trying to rent a large van with cash and a fake ID. The bill specifically covers vehicles that can carry over 15 passengers, such as trucks, tractors, trailers, buses, semi-trailers, or vans (Sec 1(g)(1)).

Checking the Checkers

To keep tabs on how this is all playing out, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are required to report to Congress every 120 days, starting 120 days after the program begins, until the program ends(Sec 1(b)). This report needs to include an assessment of the program's impact on our privacy and civil liberties, as well as how making the program permanent would affect efforts to protect against terrorist attacks (Sec 1(b)(1-2)).

The Big Picture

This bill is basically a test run for a larger system of monitoring vehicle rentals and sales to prevent terrorism. While it aims to make us safer, it also raises some serious questions. How do we balance security with our right to privacy? What safeguards are in place to prevent racial or religious profiling? The bill exempts companies from liability for actions taken under this pilot program (Sec 1(f)), which could encourage more reporting, but also reduce accountability. The required study due to Congress within 18 months of this Act, examining how to work with rental car and ride-sharing companies to identify terrorism risks and threats (Sec 1(c)), will be key to seeing the bigger picture.