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Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) recently called on U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to consider the Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) when making decisions on how best to carry out the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) mission.

In a letter, Udall said the Pueblo, Colo., center plays a role in ensuring the nation’s surface transportation security. He invited Napolitano to visit TTCI, which conducts research and tests on track, locomotives, rail cars and other rail equipment.

Udall, who toured the facility in August, believes TTCI is “of particular importance to our nation's security because of the specialized emergency response and security training it provides to private and public organizations,” he said in a prepared statement.

“Ensuring the security of our surface transportation system equates to protecting millions of Americans who commute to work by train or live near a rail line, as well as protecting billions of dollars in commerce,” said Udall. “It is estimated that $65 billion in freight revenue transported by rail alone depends on a secure rail system.”