I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6856 

To reduce the number of firearms at Transportation Security Administration 

passenger screening checkpoints by directing the Administrator to carry 

out a range of activities to inform the public about restrictions regarding 

the carrying of firearms in sterile areas of airports and to strengthen 

enforcement of such restrictions and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2022 

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To reduce the number of firearms at Transportation Security 

Administration passenger screening checkpoints by directing the Administrator to carry out a range of activities to inform the public about restrictions regarding 

the carrying of firearms in sterile areas of airports and 

to strengthen enforcement of such restrictions 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, 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 6856 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing Air Travel 

3 Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. SIGNAGE. 

5 Section 44901 of title 49, United States Code, is 

6 amended by adding at the end the following new sub7 section: 

8 ‘‘(m) SIGNAGE REGARDING FIREARMS.— 

9 ‘‘(1) CHECKPOINT SIGNAGE.—Not later than 

10 one year after the date of the enactment of this sub11 section, the Administrator of the Transportation Se12 curity Administration shall display uniform signage 

13 in passenger screening checkpoints to inform individ14 uals at such checkpoints of restrictions regarding 

15 the carrying of a firearm in the sterile area of an 

16 airport. Such signage shall include visual elements 

17 and a concise description of the maximum criminal 

18 and civil penalties (with relevant statutory or regu19 latory citations) for unlawfully carrying a firearm in 

20 the sterile area of an airport. 

21 ‘‘(2) PLACEMENT.—Signage under paragraph 

22 (1) shall be prominently displayed and located in 

23 such a manner that it would reasonably be expected 

24 to be seen by an individual prior to entering the pas25 senger screening checkpoint. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 6856 IH

1 ‘‘(3) AIRPORTS WITH FREQUENT FIREARM

2 INTERDICTIONS.—Not later than one year after the 

3 date of the enactment of this subsection and bienni4 ally thereafter, the Administrator of the Transpor5 tation Security Administration shall publish a list of 

6 not fewer than 25 airports at which firearms were 

7 most frequently interdicted at passenger screening 

8 checkpoints in the prior two years. If with respect to 

9 any such list there are fewer than 25 such airports, 

10 such list shall include as many of such airports as 

11 are otherwise described in this paragraph. 

12 ‘‘(4) ADDITIONAL ENHANCED SIGNAGE FOR

13 AIRPORTS WITH FREQUENT FIREARM INTERDIC14 TIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 

15 the publication of each list required under paragraph 

16 (3), the Administrator of the Transportation Secu17 rity Administration shall require each airport in18 cluded on the list to install additional enhanced sign19 age at all passenger terminal entrances to such air20 ports to inform the public and individuals planning 

21 to enter a passenger screening checkpoint of the re22 strictions regarding the carrying of a firearm in the 

23 sterile area of the airport and, as applicable, State, 

24 local, territorial, or other jurisdiction-specific restric25 tions on carrying firearms in the publicly accessible 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 6856 IH

1 areas of the airport. Such additional enhanced sign2 age shall be consistent for all airports required to in3 stall such additional enhanced signage under this 

4 paragraph, except, as the case may be, for descrip5 tions of such applicable State, local, territorial, or 

6 other jurisdiction-specific restrictions. The Adminis7 trator may permit an airport to remove such signage 

8 if such airport is not included on a subsequent list. 

9 ‘‘(5) OUTDATED SIGNAGE.—If any relevant in10 formation on signage installed pursuant to this sub11 section is rendered inaccurate due to statutory, reg12 ulatory, or other changes, the Administrator shall 

13 ensure such signage is updated in a timely manner, 

14 except this paragraph does not apply in the case of 

15 annual inflation adjustments to civil monetary pen16 alties. 

17 ‘‘(6) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

18 ‘‘(A) PASSENGER SCREENING CHECK19 POINT.—The term ‘passenger screening check20 point’ means the designated area at each air21 port located in the United States at which the 

22 Transportation Security Administration, or an 

23 entity authorized by the Administration pursu24 ant to section 44920, or other comparable auVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:26 Mar 01, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6856.IH H6856

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 6856 IH

1 thority, provides for the screening of passengers 

2 and carry-on baggage. 

3 ‘‘(B) PASSENGER TERMINAL ENTRANCE.— 

4 The term ‘passenger terminal entrance’ means 

5 the area at each airport located in the United 

6 States where individuals arriving to the airport 

7 by means other than a flight first enter the ter8 minal or other comparable enclosure containing 

9 passenger facilities of the airport located prior 

10 to the passenger screening checkpoint. 

11 ‘‘(C) STERILE AREA.—The term ‘sterile 

12 area’ has the meaning given such term in sec13 tion 1540.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regula14 tions.’’. 

15 SEC. 3. PUBLIC AWARENESS INITIATIVES. 

16 (a) CAMPAIGN.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 

18 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Ad19 ministrator of the Transportation Security Adminis20 tration shall implement a public awareness campaign 

21 to inform the public of the potential criminal and 

22 civil consequences of carrying a firearm in the sterile 

23 area of an airport that includes actual examples of 

24 the criminal and civil consequences imposed on indi25 viduals who violated such prohibition. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 6856 IH

1 (2) ELEMENTS.—The campaign required under 

2 paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum, involve— 

3 (A) the use of Transportation Security Ad4 ministration websites, social media channels, 

5 press releases, and other means of external 

6 communication; 

7 (B) the production of audiovisual materials 

8 to be distributed via online video sharing plat9 forms; 

10 (C) engagement with external organiza11 tions, including local and national organizations 

12 with memberships that could benefit from infor13 mation regarding how to lawfully travel with a 

14 firearm in checked baggage; and 

15 (D) engagement with press and media, in16 cluding, to the extent practicable, local press 

17 and media in at least those cities that host air18 ports identified biennially pursuant to para19 graph (3) of subsection (m) of section 44901 of 

20 title 49, United States Code, as amended by 

21 section 2. 

22 (3) EXISTING EFFORTS.—The campaign re23 quired under paragraph (1) shall supplement and 

24 not supplant any other related existing campaign. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 6856 IH

1 (b) TARGETED ADVERTISING.—The Administrator of 

2 the Transportation Security Administration may purchase 

3 or otherwise place advertisements describing the potential 

4 criminal and civil consequences of carrying a firearm in 

5 the sterile area of an airport or on or about one’s person 

6 or property that would be accessible in flight, and actual 

7 examples of the criminal and civil consequences faced by 

8 individuals who violated such prohibition, on websites and 

9 in publications (or on or in such other advertising medi10 ums as the Administrator determines appropriate) that 

11 target audiences seeking information concerning— 

12 (1) firearms or related activities; 

13 (2) travel, tourism, or related matters; and 

14 (3) such other matters the Administrator deter15 mines appropriate. 

16 SEC. 4. FINES. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 449 of 

18 title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

19 end the following new section: 

20 ‘‘§ 44930. Minimum civil monetary penalties for cer21 tain firearm-related violations 

22 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 

23 date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator 

24 of the Transportation Security Administration shall estab25 lish minimum civil monetary penalty amounts for repeat 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 6856 IH

1 or egregious violations of subsection (a) of section 

2 1540.111 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, relating 

3 to the carriage of firearms on or in an individual’s person 

4 or accessible property into the sterile area of an airport 

5 or onboard an aircraft. 

6 ‘‘(b) MINIMUM CIVIL MONETARY PENALTIES FOR

7 REPEAT VIOLATIONS.—The minimum civil monetary pen8 alty amount for a repeat violation of subsection (a) of sec9 tion 1540.111 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, 

10 involving a firearm shall be— 

11 ‘‘(1) in the case of an individual with respect to 

12 whom such a repeat violation occurs within five 

13 years of the date of the final adjudication of a pre14 vious such violation— 

15 ‘‘(A) $10,000 for any such repeat violation 

16 involving an unloaded firearm; and 

17 ‘‘(B) $12,500 for any such repeat violation 

18 involving a loaded firearm or unloaded firearm 

19 with accessible ammunition; and 

20 ‘‘(2) in the case of an individual with respect to 

21 whom such a repeat violation occurs more than five 

22 years after the date of the final adjudication of a 

23 previous such violation— 

24 ‘‘(A) $5,000 for any such repeat violation 

25 involving an unloaded firearm; and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 6856 IH

1 ‘‘(B) $10,000 for any such repeat violation 

2 involving a loaded firearm or unloaded firearm 

3 with accessible ammunition. 

4 ‘‘(c) MINIMUM CIVIL MONETARY PENALTIES FOR

5 EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS.—The minimum civil monetary 

6 penalty amount for an intentional or otherwise egregious 

7 violation of subsection (a) of section 1540.111 of title 49, 

8 Code of Federal Regulations, involving a firearm shall 

9 be— 

10 ‘‘(1) $10,000 for any knowing violation in the 

11 case of a deliberate attempt to conceal such firearm; 

12 and 

13 ‘‘(2) $5,000 for any violation which the Admin14 istrator of the Transportation Security Administra15 tion determines is otherwise egregious, including if 

16 the firearm at issue— 

17 ‘‘(A) is known to the Administrator to— 

18 ‘‘(i) not contain a serial number when 

19 required by law; or 

20 ‘‘(ii) have been manufactured using 

21 additive layer manufacturing (commonly 

22 known as ‘3-D printing’); or 

23 ‘‘(B) is— 

24 ‘‘(i) of a nature or type that poses a 

25 greater risk to aviation security than fireVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:26 Mar 01, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6856.IH H6856

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 6856 IH

1 arms typically identified at passenger 

2 screening checkpoints; or 

3 ‘‘(ii) identified with ammunition that 

4 is of a nature or type that poses a greater 

5 risk to aviation security than ammunition 

6 typically identified at passenger screening 

7 checkpoints. 

8 ‘‘(d) SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.—An individual sub9 ject to a minimum civil monetary penalty amount pursu10 ant to subsection (a) may appeal such penalty amount or 

11 seek a reduction in such penalty amount in the case of 

12 such individual’s particular violation, including based on 

13 mitigating factors (including in accordance with sub14 section (e)) pursuant to procedures provided for in the 

15 Transportation Security Administration’s security regula16 tions. The Administrator of the Transportation Security 

17 Administration may, if the Administrator determines such 

18 is appropriate, grant such appeal or reduce such penalty 

19 amount, as the case may be. 

20 ‘‘(e) SELF-DISCLOSURE.—Notwithstanding any other 

21 provision of this section, the Administrator of the Trans22 portation Security Administration may consider self-dis23 closure as a mitigating factor when determining the 

24 amount of a civil monetary penalty if an individual, in 

25 good faith, voluntarily discloses a violation of subsection 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
11 

•HR 6856 IH

1 (a) of section 1540.111 of title 49, Code of Federal Regu2 lations, to the Transportation Security Administration, an 

3 entity authorized to conduct screening pursuant to section 

4 44920 of title 49, United States Code, a Government rep5 resentative, an employee or contractor of an airline or air6 port, or other appropriate authority, after the individual 

7 is present for screening at a passenger screening check8 point but prior to the detection of such violation. 

9 ‘‘(f) PAYMENT PLANS.—The Administrator of the 

10 Transportation Security Administration may provide pay11 ment plans for payment of civil monetary penalty amounts 

12 under this section for a violation of subsection (a) of sec13 tion 1540.111 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, 

14 in the event an individual provides documentation of hard15 ship. 

16 ‘‘(g) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec17 tion may be interpreted as— 

18 ‘‘(1) limiting the authority of the Administrator 

19 of the Transportation Security Administration to 

20 issue civil monetary penalty amounts that are great21 er than those established as minimum civil monetary 

22 penalty amounts pursuant to this section; 

23 ‘‘(2) limiting the authority of the Administrator 

24 to establish minimum civil monetary penalty 

25 amounts with respect to first-time or non-egregious 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
12 

•HR 6856 IH

1 violations of section 1540.111 of title 49, Code of 

2 Federal Regulations; or 

3 ‘‘(3) instructing the Administrator to establish 

4 a minimum civil monetary penalty amount with re5 spect to violations involving unloaded replicas of fire6 arms not capable of discharge.’’. 

7 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

8 for chapter 449 of title 49, United States Code, is amend9 ed by inserting after the item relating to section 44929 

10 the following new item: 

‘‘44930. Minimum civil monetary penalties for certain firearm-related violations.’’. 

11 SEC. 5. PRECHECK ELIGIBLITY. 

12 Section 44919 of title 49, United States Code, is 

13 amended by adding at the end the following new sub14 section: 

15 ‘‘(m) INELIGIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS UNLAWFULLY

16 POSSESSING FIREARMS IN RESTRICTED AREAS.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Any unauthorized indi18 vidual who possesses a firearm after the individual 

19 is present for screening at a passenger screening 

20 checkpoint shall be ineligible for expedited security 

21 screening and prohibited from participating in the 

22 PreCheck Program for a period of time determined 

23 by the Administrator of the Transportation Security 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
13 

•HR 6856 IH

1 Administration in the Administrator’s sole discre2 tion. 

3 ‘‘(2) REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION.—The 

4 Administrator of the Transportation Security Ad5 ministration shall maintain a procedure through 

6 which an individual subject to a period of ineligi7 bility pursuant to this subsection may petition the 

8 Administrator for a reduction in the duration of 

9 such period. The Administrator may, if the Adminis10 trator determines such is appropriate, reduce such 

11 duration. Any such determination shall be in the Ad12 ministrator’s sole discretion. 

13 ‘‘(3) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 

14 ‘passenger screening checkpoint’ means the des15 ignated area at each airport located in the United 

16 States at which the Transportation Security Admin17 istration, or an entity authorized by the Administra18 tion pursuant to section 44920, or other comparable 

19 authority, provides for the screening of passengers 

20 and carry-on baggage.’’. 

21 SEC. 6. REPORT. 

22 Not later than one year after the date of the enact23 ment of this Act and biennially thereafter, the Adminis24 trator of the Transportation Security Administration shall 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
14 

•HR 6856 IH

1 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re2 port describing the following: 

3 (1) The implementation of the signage require4 ment under paragraph (1) of subsection (m) of sec5 tion 44901 of title 49, United States Code, and the 

6 implementation of the signage requirement under 

7 paragraph (4) of such subsection (including a copy 

8 of the list of airports required to be produced bienni9 ally thereunder), as such section was amended by 

10 section 2. 

11 (2) The public awareness activities of the Ad12 ministration relating to firearms, including activities 

13 conducted pursuant to section 3. 

14 (3) The number of violations of subsection (a) 

15 of section 1540.111 of title 49, Code of Federal 

16 Regulations, and any other incidents involving the 

17 unauthorized carriage of a firearm at a passenger 

18 screening checkpoint, including information regard19 ing which such violations and incidents were com20 mitted by individuals while receiving expedited 

21 screening, during the period of time covered by each 

22 such report. 

23 (4) PreCheck Program revocations or denials 

24 pursuant to subsection (m) of section 44919, United 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
15 

•HR 6856 IH

1 States Code, as added by this Act, during the period 

2 of time covered by each such report. 

3 (5) Any new or evolving threats relating to, or 

4 efforts to enhance, public area security at airports 

5 as such pertains to firearms. 

6 (6) Such other matters relating to firearm-re7 lated threats to transportation security as the Ad8 ministrator determines appropriate. 

9 SEC. 7. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REVIEW. 

10 Not later than two years after the date of the enact11 ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 

12 States shall submit to the appropriate congressional com13 mittees a review of the Transportation Security Adminis14 tration’s efforts to— 

15 (1) implement the provisions of this Act and 

16 the amendments made by this Act; 

17 (2) deter the carriage of firearms and other 

18 dangerous items at passenger screening checkpoints 

19 through means other than those required by this Act 

20 and such amendments; and 

21 (3) enhance public area security at airports 

22 against firearm-related threats. 

23 SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. 

24 In this Act: 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
16 

•HR 6856 IH

1 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT2 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com3 mittees’’ means the Committee on Homeland Secu4 rity of the House of Representatives and the Com5 mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 

6 the Senate. 

7 (2) PASSENGER SCREENING CHECKPOINT.— 

8 The term ‘‘passenger screening checkpoint’’ means 

9 the designated area at each airport located in the 

10 United States at which the Transportation Security 

11 Administration, or an entity authorized by the Ad12 ministration pursuant to section 44920 of title 49, 

13 United States Code, or other comparable authority, 

14 provides for the screening of passengers and carry15 on baggage. 

16 (3) STERILE AREA.—The term ‘‘sterile area’’ 

17 has the meaning given such term in section 1540.5 

18 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS