I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5054

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out a pilot program 

to evaluate the use of hardened containers for cargo and luggage on 

passenger aircraft. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 9, 2004

Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out 

a pilot program to evaluate the use of hardened containers for cargo and luggage on passenger aircraft.

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hardened Containers 

5 for Air Cargo Security Act of 2004’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO EVALUATE USE OF HARDENED 

7 CONTAINERS ON PASSENGER AIRCRAFT. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 180 

9 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
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1 of Homeland Security shall carry out a pilot program to 

2 evaluate the use of hardened containers for cargo and lug3 gage on passenger aircraft to minimize the potential ef4 fects of an explosive device. 

5 (b) GUIDELINES.—In carrying out the pilot program, 

6 the Secretary shall develop guidelines for use by air car7 riers in determining the types of cargo and luggage to be 

8 placed in a hardened container on a passenger aircraft. 

9 (c) INCENTIVE PROGRAM.—

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the pilot pro11 gram, the Secretary shall carry out an incentive pro12 gram to provide assistance to air carriers to test the 

13 use of hardened containers for cargo and luggage on 

14 passenger aircraft. 

15 (2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the incentive 

16 program, at a minimum, shall be—

17 (A) to test the function and interaction of 

18 the hardened containers with other components 

19 of the aviation security system; 

20 (B) to determine the quantity of hardened 

21 containers required in air carrier operations; 

22 (C) to identify issues in logistics and con23 trol associated with use of the hardened con24 tainers and their possible solutions; and 
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1 (D) to identify training and maintenance 

2 requirements associated with use of the hard3 ened containers. 

4 (3) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to partici5 pate in the incentive program, an air carrier shall 

6 submit to the Secretary an application that is in 

7 such form and contains such information as the Sec8 retary requires. 

9 (4) TYPES OF ASSISTANCE.—Assistance pro10 vided by the Secretary to air carriers under the in11 centive program may include the use of hardened 

12 containers and financial assistance to cover in13 creased costs to the carriers associated with use and 

14 maintenance of the containers, including increased 

15 fuel costs. 

16 (d) ADMINISTRATION BY TSA.—The Secretary shall 

17 carry out the pilot program acting through the Adminis18 trator of the Transportation Security Administration. 

19 (e) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

20 of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 

21 the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 

22 the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com23 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 

24 on the results of the pilot program. 
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1 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

2 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

3 $1,700,000. Such sums shall remain available until ex4 pended.

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