To direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) to address vulnerabilities in aviation security by carrying out a pilot program to screen airport workers with access to secure and sterile areas of airports, and for other purposes.

Summary: Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) to: (1) implement a pilot program at seven commercial service airports to screen all individuals with unescorted access to secure and sterile areas of the airport; and (2) conduct a vulnerability assessment of, and an operational assessment at, each airport participating in such program. Requires: (1) at least two of the participating airports to be large hub airports and at least one of the airports to be a category III airport, with each of the remaining airports representing a different airport security risk category; (2) screening to be conducted under the same standards as apply to passengers at airport security screening checkpoints, to be carried out by private screeners, and, in addition, the designation of at least one lane to be used to screen individuals with unescorted access on a priority basis; (3) deployment of alternative means of screening of all individuals at one of the participating airports; (4) each participating airport operator to conduct an assessment of the screening technology used at the airport and to submit the results to the Assistant Secretary; and (5) the program to be carried out for not less than 180 days.

Authorizes appropriations.

Requires the Assistant Secretary to report to Congress on the results of the program.

SECTION 1. ENHANCED PERIMETER SECURITY AND ACCESS CONTROL THROUGH 
              COMPREHENSIVE SCREENING OF AIRPORT WORKERS.

    (a) Pilot Program.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security 
(Transportation Security Administration) shall carry out a pilot 
program at 7 service airports to screen all individuals with unescorted 
access to secure and sterile areas of the airport in accordance with 
section 44903(h) of title 49, United States Code.
    (b) Participating Airports.--At least 2 of the airports 
participating in the pilot program shall be large hub airports (as 
defined in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code). At least 1 
of the airports participating in the pilot program shall be a category 
III airport. Each of the remaining airports participating in the pilot 
program shall represent a different airport security risk category (as 
defined by the Assistant Secretary).
    (c) Screening Standards.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided under paragraphs (2) 
        and (3), screening for individuals with unescorted access under 
        the pilot program shall be conducted under the same standards 
        as apply to passengers at airport security screening 
        checkpoints and, at a minimum of 1 airport, shall be carried 
        out by a private screening company that meets the standards in 
        accordance with section 44920(d) of title 49, United States 
        Code. That airport shall be an airport that uses such a private 
        screening company to carry out passenger screenings as of the 
        date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Designated screening lane.--In addition to the 
        requirements under paragraph (1), each airport participating in 
        the pilot program shall designate at least one screening lane 
        at each airport security screening checkpoint to be used to 
        screen individuals with unescorted access on a priority basis 
        under the pilot program. Such lane may also be used to screen 
        passengers.
            (3) Alternative means of screening.--At 1 of the 7 airports 
        participating in the pilot program, the Assistant Secretary 
        shall deploy, instead of the screening standards required under 
        paragraphs (1) and (2), alternative means of screening all 
        individuals with unescorted access to secure and sterile areas 
        of the airport. Alternative means of screening may include--
                    (A) biometric technology for airport access 
                control;
                    (B) behavior recognition programs;
                    (C) canines to screen individuals with unescorted 
                access to secure and sterile areas of the airport;
                    (D) targeted physical inspections of such 
                individuals;
                    (E) video cameras; and
                    (F) increased vetting, training, and awareness 
                programs for such individuals.
    (d) Vulnerability Assessments.--As part of the pilot program under 
this section, the Assistant Secretary shall conduct a vulnerability 
assessment of each airport participating in the pilot program. Each 
such assessment shall include an assessment of vulnerabilities relating 
to access badge and uniform controls.
    (e) Technology Assessments.--Airport operators at each airport at 
which the pilot program under this section is implemented shall conduct 
an assessment of the screening technology being used at that airport 
and submit the results of the assessment to the Assistant Secretary. 
The Assistant Secretary shall compile the results of all the 
assessments and provide them to each airport participating in the pilot 
program.
    (f) Operational Assessments.--As part of the pilot program under 
this section, the Assistant Secretary shall conduct an operational 
assessment at each airport participating in the pilot program. Each 
such assessment shall include an evaluation of--
            (1) the effect on security of any increase in terminal 
        congestion created as a result of screening individuals with 
        unescorted access under the pilot program;
            (2) the average wait times at screening checkpoints for 
        passengers and individuals with unescorted access;
            (3) any additional personnel required to screen individuals 
        with unescorted access;
            (4) the effect of screening individuals with unescorted 
        access on other security-related activities at the airport;
            (5) any lost productivity of individuals with unescorted 
        access associated with airport participation in the pilot 
        program; and
            (6) the rate at which ``prohibited items'' are detected and 
        confiscated from individuals with unescorted access.
    (g) Duration.--The pilot program shall be carried out for a period 
of not less than 180 days.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
    (i) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the last day 
        of the pilot program, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to 
        the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate a report on the results of the 
        pilot program.
            (2) Contents of report.--The report shall include the 
        following:
                    (A) An assessment of the effect of screening all 
                airport workers with access to secure and sterile 
                airport areas on screening and logistical resources.
                    (B) An assessment of the security improvements that 
                are achieved from screening such workers.
                    (C) An assessment of the costs of screening such 
                workers.
                    (D) The results of the vulnerability assessments 
                conducted under subsection (d).
                    (E) An estimate of the infrastructure and personnel 
                requirements necessary to implement a screening program 
                for individuals with unescorted access at all 
                commercial service airports in the United States in 
                order to process each such individual and each 
                passenger through each screening checkpoint in fewer 
                than 10 minutes.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 11, 2007.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.