I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 81 
To increase the number of Federal air marshals for certain flights, require 
criminal investigative training for such marshals, create an office and 
appoint an ombudsman for the marshals, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 6, 2015 
Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To increase the number of Federal air marshals for certain 
flights, require criminal investigative training for such 
marshals, create an office and appoint an ombudsman 
for the marshals, 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 ‘‘FAMS Augmentation 
Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FEDERAL AIR MAR-
SHALS. 
(a) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF FEDERAL AIR MAR-
SHALS.—Not later than September 30, 2016, and in ac-
cordance with subsection (b), the Assistant Secretary 
(Transportation Security Administration) shall increase 
the number of Federal air marshals so that not less than 
1,750 additional Federal air marshals are hired and de-
ployed, above the number of such marshals as of January 
31, 2011, to ensure increased transportation security for 
inbound international flights. 
(b) CONGRESSIONAL INTENT.—The goal of this Act 
is to increase the number of inbound flights with Federal 
air marshals onboard while maintaining Federal air mar-
shal presence on domestic point-to-point flights at or 
above the level as of December 25, 2009. 
SEC. 3. TRAINING OF FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS. 
Section 44917 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATIVE
TRAINING
PRO-
GRAM.— 
‘‘(1) NEW
EMPLOYEE
TRAINING.—Not later 
than 30 days after the date of enactment of the 
FAMS Augmentation Act of 2015, the Federal Air 
Marshal Service shall establish a policy requiring 
Federal air marshals hired after such date to com-
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plete the criminal investigative training program at 
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center as 
part of basic training for Federal air marshals. 
‘‘(2) EXISTING
EMPLOYEES.—A Federal air 
marshal who has previously completed the criminal 
investigative training program may not be required 
to repeat such program. 
‘‘(3) ALTERNATIVE TRAINING.—Not later than 
3 years after the date of enactment of the FAMS 
Augmentation Act of 2015, an air marshal hired be-
fore such date who has not completed the criminal 
investigative training program shall be required to 
attend an alternative training program, as deter-
mined by the Director of the Federal Law Enforce-
ment Center, that provides the training necessary to 
bridge the gap between the mixed basic police train-
ing, the Federal air marshal programs already com-
pleted by the Federal air marshal, and the criminal 
investigative training provided through the criminal 
investigative training program. Any such alternative 
program shall be considered to have met the stand-
ards of the criminal investigative training program. 
‘‘(4) 
RESERVATION
OF
FUNDS.—Of 
the 
amounts to be appropriated pursuant to section 6 of 
the FAMS Augmentation Act of 2015, $3,000,000 
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may be used to carry out this subsection for each of 
fiscal years 2016 and 2017. 
‘‘(5) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this sub-
section shall be construed to reclassify Federal air 
marshals as criminal investigators.’’. 
SEC. 4. OMBUDSMAN. 
Section 44917 of title 49, United States Code, is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) OMBUDSMAN.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall establish in the Federal Air Marshal 
Service an Office of the Ombudsman. 
‘‘(2) APPOINTMENT.—The head of the Office 
shall be the Ombudsman, who shall be appointed by 
the Assistant Secretary. 
‘‘(3) DUTIES.—The Ombudsman shall carry out 
programs and activities to improve morale, training, 
and quality of life issues in the Service, including 
through implementation of the recommendations of 
the Inspector General of the Department of Home-
land Security and the Comptroller General. 
‘‘(4) CAREER RESERVED POSITION.—The posi-
tion of Ombudsman shall be treated as a career re-
served position, as defined by section 3132(a)(8) of 
title 5, United States Code. 
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‘‘(5) 
RESERVATION
OF
FUNDS.—Of 
the 
amounts to be appropriated pursuant to section 6 of 
the FAMS Augmentation Act of 2015, $1,000,000 
may be used to carry out this subsection for each of 
fiscal years 2016 and 2017.’’. 
SEC. 5. REPORTS. 
(a) REPORTS.—Beginning 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act and every 6 months thereafter, 
until the Department has increased, by not less than an 
additional 1,750, the number of Federal air marshals the 
Assistant Secretary shall submit a report to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on the progress of increasing 
the number of Federal air marshals under this Act, adopt-
ing the alternative criminal investigative training program, 
and implementing an ombudsman program for such mar-
shals. 
(b) REPORT SUMMARY.—The report shall include a 
summary of disciplinary personnel actions implemented 
against Federal air marshals by the Department of Home-
land Security and complaints and lawsuits filed by Federal 
air marshals against the Department or its agents. 
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SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act and subsections (d) and (e) of section 44917 of 
title 49, United States Code, $190,000,000 for fiscal year 
2016 and $172,000,000 for fiscal year 2017. 
Æ 
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