I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4176 
To strengthen air cargo security, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 31, 2017 
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi (for himself and Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To strengthen air cargo security, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Air Cargo Security 
Improvement Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF AIR CARGO SECURITY OFFICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 449 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 44947. Air cargo security office 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Adminis-
trator of the Transportation Security Administration shall 
establish an air cargo security office to carry out all policy 
and engagement with air cargo security stakeholders. 
‘‘(b) LEADERSHIP; STAFFING.—The air cargo secu-
rity office established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be 
headed by an individual in the Senior Executive Service 
and be staffed by not fewer than four full-time equivalents, 
including the head of the office.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 449 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after the item related to 
section 44946 the following new item: 
‘‘44947. Air cargo security office.’’. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM FOR AIR CARGO COMPUTED TO-
MOGRAPHY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 
the Transportation Security Administration, in coordina-
tion with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology 
of the Department of Homeland Security, shall conduct 
a pilot program to test the expanded use of screening 
equipment using computed tomography technology to 
screen air cargo on passenger-carrying aircraft. Such pro-
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gram shall conclude not later than two years after such 
program is commenced. 
(b) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than six months after the 
beginning of the pilot program under subsection (a) and 
every six months thereafter until the completion of such 
program, the Administrator of the Transportation Secu-
rity Administration shall brief the Committee on Home-
land Security of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate on the progress of such program. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after comple-
tion of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Admin-
istrator of the Transportation Security Administration 
shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
on the results of such pilot program with, as appropriate, 
a plan to integrate computed tomography technology into 
domestic and international air cargo screening operations, 
including at overseas last point of departure airports. 
SEC. 4. AIR CARGO REGULATION REVIEW. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 150 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration shall submit to 
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
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Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on ac-
tions to improve the Certified Cargo Screening Program 
as established by the Administrator in September 2009. 
The report shall— 
(1) review the degree to which the Program is 
effective at fully addressing evolving threats to air 
cargo, particularly as air cargo volumes fluctuate; 
(2) review any vulnerabilities in the Program 
and effectiveness of information sharing with air 
cargo security stakeholders; and 
(3) include information on actions to be taken 
to address findings in paragraphs (1) and (2), in-
cluding information on plans to issue new rule-
making, if necessary. 
SEC. 5. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall— 
(1) review the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity’s analysis and intelligence pre-screening proc-
esses and procedures for the examination of air 
cargo entering the United States; 
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(2) review the computed tomography technology 
pilot program for air cargo screening on passenger- 
carrying aircraft, conducted pursuant to section 3; 
(3) assess the effectiveness of the Department’s 
risk-based strategy for examining air cargo and en-
suring compliance with air cargo security rules and 
regulations; and 
(4) review the Department’s information shar-
ing procedures and practices for disseminating infor-
mation to relevant stakeholders on preventing, miti-
gating, and responding to air cargo related threats. 
SEC. 6. AIR CARGO ADVANCE SCREENING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle B of title IV of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 420. AIR CARGO ADVANCE SCREENING PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, consistent with 
the requirements of the Trade Act of 2002 (Public Law 
107–210), shall— 
‘‘(1) establish an air cargo advance screening 
program (in this section referred to as the ‘ACAS 
Program’) for the collection by U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection of advance electronic information 
from air carriers and other persons within the sup-
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ply chain regarding cargo being transported to the 
United States by air; 
‘‘(2) under such program, require that such in-
formation be transmitted by such air carriers and 
other persons at the earliest point practicable prior 
to loading of such cargo onto an aircraft destined to 
or transiting through the United States; 
‘‘(3) establish appropriate communications sys-
tems with freight forwarders, shippers, and air car-
riers; 
‘‘(4) establish a system that will allow freight 
forwarders, shippers, and air carriers to provide 
shipment level data for air cargo, departing from 
any location that is inbound to the United States; 
and 
‘‘(5) coordinate with the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration to identify 
opportunities in which the information furnished in 
compliance with the ACAS Program could be used 
by the Administrator. 
‘‘(b) INSPECTION OF HIGH-RISK CARGO.—Under the 
ACAS Program, the Secretary shall ensure that all cargo 
that has been identified as high risk is inspected— 
‘‘(1) prior to the loading of such cargo onto air-
craft at the last point of departure; or 
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‘‘(2) at an earlier point in the supply chain, be-
fore departing for the United States. 
‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the ACAS 
Program, the Secretary shall consult with relevant stake-
holders, as appropriate, to ensure the implementation of 
an operationally feasible and practical approach to the col-
lection of advance information with respect to cargo on 
aircraft departing for the United States, and that the in-
spection of high-risk cargo recognizes the significant dif-
ferences among air cargo business models and modes of 
transportation. 
‘‘(d) ANALYSIS.—The Secretary may analyze the in-
formation referred to in subsection (a) in the Depart-
ment’s automated targeting system and integrate such in-
formation with other intelligence to enhance the accuracy 
of the risk assessment process under the ACAS Program. 
‘‘(e) NO DUPLICATION.—The Secretary shall carry 
out this section in a manner that, after the ACAS Pro-
gram is fully in effect, ensures, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, that the ACAS Program does not duplicate other 
Department programs or requirements relating to the sub-
mission of air cargo data or the inspection of high-risk 
cargo. 
‘‘(f) CONSIDERATION OF INDUSTRY.—In carrying out 
the ACAS Program, the Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(1) take into consideration that the content 
and timeliness of the available data may vary among 
entities in the air cargo industry and among coun-
tries, and shall explore procedures to accommodate 
such variations while maximizing the contribution of 
such data to the risk assessment process under the 
ACAS Program; 
‘‘(2) test the business processes, technologies, 
and operational procedures required to provide ad-
vance information with respect to cargo on aircraft 
departing for the United States and carry out re-
lated inspection of high-risk cargo, while ensuring 
minimization of delays and other negative impacts 
on vital supply chains; and 
‘‘(3) consider the cost, benefit, and feasibility 
before establishing any set time period for submis-
sion of certain elements of the data for air cargo 
under this section in line with the regulatory guide-
lines specified in Executive Order No. 13563, and 
any successor Executive order or regulation. 
‘‘(g) GUIDANCE.—The Secretary shall provide guid-
ance for participants in the ACAS Program regarding the 
requirements for participation, including requirements for 
transmitting shipment level data. 
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‘‘(h) USE OF DATA.—The Secretary shall use the 
data provided under the ACAS Program for targeting 
shipments for screening and aviation security purposes 
only.’’. 
(b) FINAL RULE.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home-
land Security shall issue a final regulation to implement 
the ACAS Program under section 420 of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (as added by subsection (a) of this 
section) to include the electronic transmission to U.S. Cus-
toms and Border Protection of data elements for targeting 
cargo, including appropriate security elements of shipment 
level data, as determined by the Secretary. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the commencement of the ACAS Program under section 
420 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added by 
subsection (a) of this section), the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate a report detailing the operational implementa-
tion of providing advance information under the ACAS 
Program and the value of such information in targeting 
cargo. 
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(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
419 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 420. Air cargo advance screening program.’’. 
SEC. 7. THIRD PARTY CANINE CARGO SCREENING. 
Section 1307 of the Implementing Recommendations 
of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1116) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsections (f) and (g); and 
(2) by adding after subsection (e) the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(f) THIRD PARTY CANINE TEAMS FOR AIR CARGO 
SECURITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to enhance the 
screening of air cargo and ensure that third party 
explosives detection canine assets are leveraged for 
such purpose, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
acting through the Administrator of the Transpor-
tation Security Administration, shall, not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
subsection— 
‘‘(A) develop and issue standards for the 
use of such third party explosives detection ca-
nine assets for the primary screening of air 
cargo; 
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