I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4561 
To provide for third party testing of transportation security screening 
technology, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 6, 2017 
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. KATKO, and Mr. DUNN) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Home-
land Security 
A BILL 
To provide for third party testing of transportation security 
screening technology, 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 ‘‘Security Assessment 
Feasibility for Equipment Testing and Evaluation of Ca-
pabilities for our Homeland Act’’ or the ‘‘SAFE TECH 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATION.—The term ‘‘Administra-
tion’’ means the Transportation Security Adminis-
tration. 
(2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Transpor-
tation Security Administration. 
SEC. 3. THIRD PARTY TESTING OF SECURITY SCREENING 
TECHNOLOGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in 
consultation with the Under Secretary for Science and 
Technology of the Department of Homeland Security, 
shall develop a program to enable a vendor of transpor-
tation security screening technology to obtain testing, in-
cluding as an alternative to the Administration’s testing 
process under paragraph (9) of section 114(f) of title 49, 
United States Code, by an appropriate third party, as de-
termined by the Administrator, in consultation with the 
Under Secretary, of such technology before procurement 
or development of such technology. 
(b) DETECTION TESTING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The third party testing pro-
gram authorized under subsection (a) shall include 
detection testing to evaluate the performance of a 
security screening technology relating to the prob-
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ability of detection, the probability of false alarm, 
and other indicators that such technology is able to 
meet the Administration’s mission needs for detec-
tion of— 
(A) explosives; and 
(B) prohibited items. 
(2) COORDINATION WITH FINAL PROCESSES.— 
To the extent practicable, and without compromising 
the integrity of the Administration’s testing process 
under paragraph (9) of section 114(f) of title 49, 
United States Code, or the Department of Home-
land Security’s oversight of such testing process, or 
increasing costs to the Administration, the Adminis-
trator shall coordinate the third party detection test-
ing under paragraph (1) with any associated subse-
quent final Government Department of Homeland 
Security testing. 
(3) INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS.—To the 
extent practicable and permissible under law, and in 
accordance with national security interests of the 
United States, the Administrator shall— 
(A) share with appropriate international 
partners detection testing information and 
standards; and 
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