I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2603 

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate high threat 

helicopter flight areas and to provide special rules for screening of passengers and property to be transported on passenger helicopters operating 

to or from such areas and for helicopters flights in such areas, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 6, 2007 

Mr. WEINER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate 

high threat helicopter flight areas and to provide special 

rules for screening of passengers and property to be 

transported on passenger helicopters operating to or from 

such areas and for helicopters flights in such areas, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

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•HR 2603 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘High Threat Heli3 copter Flight Area Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION. 

5 The Secretary of Homeland Security shall designate 

6 an area in the United States that the Secretary determines 

7 is an area at high risk for an attack by one or more terror8 ists as a high threat helicopter flight area. 

9 SEC. 3. SCREENING FOR PASSENGER HELICOPTERS DE10 PARTING HIGH THREAT FLIGHT AREAS. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu12 rity shall provide the same screening of all passengers and 

13 property that will be transported, from a point located in 

14 an area designated as a high threat helicopter area under 

15 section 2, on a passenger helicopter in the United States 

16 by a person (including an air carrier) as the screening that 

17 is provided for passengers and property that are carried 

18 aboard a passenger aircraft operated by an air carrier 

19 under section 44901 of title 49, United States Code. 

20 (b) DEADLINE FOR BEGINNING.—The Secretary 

21 shall begin development of a plan for acquiring and train22 ing personnel, and acquiring equipment, to provide the 

23 screening required by subsection (a). 

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•HR 2603 IH

1 SEC. 4. SPECIAL RULES REGARDING FLIGHTS OF HELI2 COPTERS OPERATING IN HIGH THREAT 

3 FLIGHT AREAS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 

5 shall take such action as may be necessary to ensure 

6 that— 

7 (1) no passenger helicopter flies in an area des8 ignated as a high threat flight area by the Secretary 

9 of Homeland Security under section 2, except on ap10 proach for landing, or departure after take off, in 

11 such area; 

12 (2) whenever a passenger helicopter is flying in 

13 such an area, the helicopter, to maximum extent 

14 practicable, flies over water; and 

15 (3) the pilot of a flight of any helicopter in such 

16 an area remains in contact with the Federal Avia17 tion Administration regarding the flight path of such 

18 helicopter, regardless of the altitude of such heli19 copter. 

20 (b) EXCEPTIONS.—The Secretary of Transportation 

21 shall except from any requirement of subsection (a) a heli22 copter carrying out such military, police, medical, or other 

23 operations as the Secretary determines appropriate. 

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