In the Senate of the United States, 

December 10 (legislative day, December 9), 2016. 

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 710) entitled ‘‘An Act to require the Secretary of 

Homeland Security to prepare a comprehensive security assessment of the transportation security card program, and for 

other purposes.’’, do pass with the following 

AMENDMENT: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 

following: 

1 SECTION 1. TRANSPORTATION WORKER IDENTIFICATION 

2 CREDENTIAL SECURITY CARD PROGRAM IM3 PROVEMENTS AND ASSESSMENT. 

4 (a) CREDENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 

6 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 

7 of the Transportation Security Administration shall 

8 commence actions, consistent with section 70105 of 

9 title 46, United States Code, to improve the Transpor-
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1 tation Security Administration’s process for vetting 

2 individuals with access to secure areas of vessels and 

3 maritime facilities. 

4 (2) REQUIRED ACTIONS.—The actions described 

5 under paragraph (1) shall include— 

6 (A) conducting a comprehensive risk anal7 ysis of security threat assessment procedures, in8 cluding— 

9 (i) identifying those procedures that 

10 need additional internal controls; and 

11 (ii) identifying best practices for qual12 ity assurance at every stage of the security 

13 threat assessment; 

14 (B) implementing the additional internal 

15 controls and best practices identified under sub16 paragraph (A); 

17 (C) improving fraud detection techniques, 

18 such as— 

19 (i) by establishing benchmarks and a 

20 process for electronic document validation; 

21 (ii) by requiring annual training for 

22 Trusted Agents; and 

23 (iii) by reviewing any security threat 

24 assessment-related information provided by 

25 Trusted Agents and incorporating any new 
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1 threat information into updated guidance 

2 under subparagraph (D); 

3 (D) updating the guidance provided to 

4 Trusted Agents regarding the vetting process and 

5 related regulations; 

6 (E) finalizing a manual for Trusted Agents 

7 and adjudicators on the vetting process; and 

8 (F) establishing quality controls to ensure 

9 consistent procedures to review adjudication de10 cisions and terrorism vetting decisions. 

11 (3) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the 

12 date of enactment of this Act, the Inspector General 

13 of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit 

14 a report to Congress that evaluates the implementa15 tion of the actions described in paragraph (1). 

16 (b) COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY ASSESSMENT OF THE

17 TRANSPORTATION SECURITY CARD PROGRAM.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 

19 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

20 Homeland Security shall commission an assessment 

21 of the effectiveness of the transportation security card 

22 program (referred to in this section as ‘‘Program’’) 

23 required under section 70105 of title 46, United 

24 States Code, at enhancing security and reducing secu-
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1 rity risks for facilities and vessels regulated under 

2 chapter 701 of that title. 

3 (2) LOCATION.—The assessment commissioned 

4 under paragraph (1) shall be conducted by a research 

5 organization with significant experience in port or 

6 maritime security, such as— 

7 (A) a national laboratory; 

8 (B) a university-based center within the 

9 Science and Technology Directorate’s centers of 

10 excellence network; or 

11 (C) a qualified federally-funded research 

12 and development center. 

13 (3) CONTENTS.—The assessment commissioned 

14 under paragraph (1) shall— 

15 (A) review the credentialing process by de16 termining— 

17 (i) the appropriateness of vetting 

18 standards; 

19 (ii) whether the fee structure ade20 quately reflects the current costs of vetting; 

21 (iii) whether there is unnecessary re22 dundancy or duplication with other 

23 Federal- or State-issued transportation se24 curity credentials; and 
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1 (iv) the appropriateness of having var2 ied Federal and State threat assessments 

3 and access controls; 

4 (B) review the process for renewing applica5 tions for Transportation Worker Identification 

6 Credentials, including the number of days it 

7 takes to review application, appeal, and waiver 

8 requests for additional information; and 

9 (C) review the security value of the Pro10 gram by— 

11 (i) evaluating the extent to which the 

12 Program, as implemented, addresses known 

13 or likely security risks in the maritime and 

14 port environments; 

15 (ii) evaluating the potential for a non16 biometric credential alternative; 

17 (iii) identifying the technology, busi18 ness process, and operational impacts of the 

19 use of the transportation security card and 

20 transportation security card readers in the 

21 maritime and port environments; 

22 (iv) assessing the costs and benefits of 

23 the Program, as implemented; and 

24 (v) evaluating the extent to which the 

25 Secretary of Homeland Security has ad-
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1 dressed the deficiencies in the Program 

2 identified by the Government Accountability 

3 Office and the Inspector General of the De4 partment of Homeland Security before the 

5 date of enactment of this Act. 

6 (4) DEADLINES.—The assessment commissioned 

7 under paragraph (1) shall be completed not later than 

8 1 year after the date on which the assessment is com9 missioned. 

10 (5) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 

11 60 days after the date that the assessment is com12 pleted, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall sub13 mit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

14 Transportation and the Committee on Homeland Se15 curity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and 

16 the Committee on Homeland Security and the Com17 mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 

18 House of Representatives the results of the assessment 

19 commissioned under this subsection. 

20 (c) CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN; PROGRAM RE21 FORMS.—If the assessment commissioned under subsection 

22 (b) identifies a deficiency in the effectiveness of the Pro23 gram, the Secretary of Homeland Security, not later than 

24 60 days after the date on which the assessment is completed, 

25 shall submit a corrective action plan to the Committee on 
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1 Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee 

2 on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 

3 Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security and the Com4 mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 

5 of Representatives that— 

6 (1) responds to findings of the assessment; 

7 (2) includes an implementation plan with bench8 marks; 

9 (3) may include programmatic reforms, revisions 

10 to regulations, or proposals for legislation; and 

11 (4) shall be considered in any rulemaking by the 

12 Department of Homeland Security relating to the 

13 Program. 

14 (d) INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW.—If a corrective ac15 tion plan is submitted under subsection (c), the Inspector 

16 General of the Department of Homeland Security shall— 

17 (1) not later than 120 days after the date of such 

18 submission, review the extent to which such plan im19 plements the requirements under subsection (c); and 

20 (2) not later than 18 months after the date of 

21 such submission, and annually thereafter for 3 years, 

22 submit a report to the congressional committees set 
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1 forth in subsection (c) that describes the progress of 

2 the implementation of such plan. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H.R. 710 

AMENDMENT