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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2207 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2207

 To require the Office of the Ombudsman of the Transportation Security 
Administration to appoint passenger advocates at Category X airports to 
   assist elderly and disabled passengers who believe they have been 
          mistreated by TSA personnel and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 20, 2012

  Mr. Schumer (for himself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To require the Office of the Ombudsman of the Transportation Security 
Administration to appoint passenger advocates at Category X airports to 
   assist elderly and disabled passengers who believe they have been 
          mistreated by TSA personnel and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Restoring Integrity and Good-
Heartedness in Traveler Screening Act'' or the ``RIGHTS Act''.

SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN.

    In addition to existing functions, the Office of the Ombudsman of 
the Transportation Security Administration (referred to in this Act as 
the ``Office'') shall--
            (1) record complaints from the general public regarding 
        screening practices at the Transportation Security 
        Administration (referred to in this Act as the ``TSA'');
            (2) determine best practices to resolve frequent passenger 
        complaints and assist in training TSA agents regarding such 
        practices;
            (3) resolve passenger complaints at airports accusing TSA 
        employees of mistreatment; and
            (4) field advance notification calls from individuals with 
        medical conditions or disabilities and arrange for airport 
        screening procedures for such individuals that ensure flight 
        safety without causing them undue hardship.

SEC. 3. PASSENGER ADVOCATES.

    (a) In General.--The duties of the Office shall be performed by 
passenger advocates under the supervision of the Ombudsman.
    (b) Appointment.--The Ombudsman shall appoint passenger advocates 
at each Category X airport from the ranks of existing TSA employees 
who--
            (1) have not been subject to disciplinary action by the 
        TSA; and
            (2) shall receive--
                    (A) special training in conflict resolution; and
                    (B) sufficient medical training to recognize 
                frequent legitimate complaints based on medical 
                conditions and disabilities.
    (c) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, every Category X airport shall always have at 
least 1 TSA passenger advocate on duty during operating hours.
    (d) Sign Requirements.--Every Category X airport shall place 
clearly visible signage at each gate that--
            (1) explains that a passenger advocate may be summoned if a 
        passenger believes that a TSA employee has been mistreated on 
        the basis of advanced age or disability; and
            (2) describes the procedures for summoning the passenger 
        advocate.
                                 <all>
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