I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1893 
To direct the Transportation Security Administration to develop a transpor-
tation security preparedness plan in the event of a communicable disease 
outbreak, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2021 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. THOMPSON of Mis-
sissippi, and Mr. KATKO) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To direct the Transportation Security Administration to de-
velop a transportation security preparedness plan in the 
event of a communicable disease outbreak, 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 ‘‘Transportation Secu-
rity Preparedness Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. SURVEY OF THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY AD-
MINISTRATION 
WORKFORCE 
REGARDING 
COVID–19 RESPONSE. 
(a) SURVEY.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration (referred to in 
this section as the ‘‘Administrator’’), in consultation with 
the labor organization certified as the exclusive represent-
ative of full- and part-time non-supervisory Administra-
tion personnel carrying out screening functions under sec-
tion 44901 of title 49, United States Code, shall conduct 
a survey of the Transportation Security Administration 
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Administration’’) work-
force regarding the Administration’s response to the 
COVID–19 pandemic. Such survey shall be conducted in 
a manner that allows for the greatest practicable level of 
workforce participation. 
(b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the survey required 
under subsection (a), the Administrator shall solicit feed-
back on the following: 
(1) The Administration’s communication and 
collaboration with the Administration’s workforce re-
garding the Administration’s response to the 
COVID–19 pandemic and efforts to mitigate and 
monitor transmission of COVID–19 among its work-
force, including through— 
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(A) providing employees with personal pro-
tective equipment and mandating its use; 
(B) modifying screening procedures and 
Administration operations to reduce trans-
mission among officers and passengers and en-
suring compliance with such changes; 
(C) adjusting policies regarding scheduling, 
leave, and telework; 
(D) outreach as a part of contact tracing 
when an employee has tested positive for 
COVID–19; and 
(E) encouraging COVID–19 vaccinations 
and efforts to assist employees that seek to be 
vaccinated such as communicating the avail-
ability of duty time for travel to vaccination 
sites and recovery from vaccine side effects. 
(2) Any other topic determined appropriate by 
the Administrator. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after com-
pleting the survey required under subsection (a), the Ad-
ministration shall provide a report summarizing the re-
sults of the survey to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
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SEC. 
3. 
TRANSPORTATION 
SECURITY 
PREPAREDNESS 
PLAN. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Section 114 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(x) TRANSPORTATION SECURITY PREPAREDNESS 
PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this subsection, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through 
the Administrator, in coordination with the Chief 
Medical Officer of the Department of Homeland Se-
curity and in consultation with the partners identi-
fied under paragraphs (3)(A)(i) through (3)(A)(iv), 
shall develop a transportation security preparedness 
plan to address the event of a communicable disease 
outbreak. The Secretary, acting through the Admin-
istrator, shall ensure such plan aligns with relevant 
Federal plans and strategies for communicable dis-
ease outbreaks. 
‘‘(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the plan 
required under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator, shall consider each of 
the following: 
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‘‘(A) The findings of the survey required 
under section 2 of the Transportation Security 
Preparedness Act of 2021. 
‘‘(B) All relevant reports and recommenda-
tions regarding the Administration’s response 
to the COVID–19 pandemic, including any re-
ports and recommendations issued by the 
Comptroller General and the Inspector General 
of the Department of Homeland Security. 
‘‘(C) Lessons learned from Federal inter-
agency efforts during the COVID–19 pandemic. 
‘‘(3) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—The plan developed 
under paragraph (1) shall include each of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) Plans for communicating and collabo-
rating in the event of a communicable disease 
outbreak with the following partners: 
‘‘(i) Appropriate Federal departments 
and agencies, including the Department of 
Health and Human Services, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, the 
Department of Transportation, the De-
partment of Labor, and appropriate inter-
agency task forces. 
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‘‘(ii) The workforce of the Administra-
tion, including through the labor organiza-
tion certified as the exclusive representa-
tive of full- and part-time non-supervisory 
Administration 
personnel 
carrying 
out 
screening functions under section 44901 of 
this title. 
‘‘(iii) International partners, including 
the International Civil Aviation Organiza-
tion and foreign governments, airports, 
and air carriers. 
‘‘(iv) Public and private stakeholders, 
as such term is defined under subsection 
(t)(1)(C). 
‘‘(v) The traveling public. 
‘‘(B) Plans for protecting the safety of the 
Transportation Security Administration work-
force, including— 
‘‘(i) reducing the risk of commu-
nicable disease transmission at screening 
checkpoints and within the Administra-
tion’s workforce related to the Administra-
tion’s transportation security operations 
and mission; 
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‘‘(ii) ensuring the safety and hygiene 
of 
screening 
checkpoints 
and 
other 
workstations; 
‘‘(iii) supporting equitable and appro-
priate access to relevant vaccines, prescrip-
tions, and other medical care; and 
‘‘(iv) tracking rates of employee ill-
ness, recovery, and death. 
‘‘(C) Criteria for determining the condi-
tions that may warrant the integration of addi-
tional actions in the aviation screening system 
in response to the communicable disease out-
break and a range of potential roles and re-
sponsibilities that align with such conditions. 
‘‘(D) Contingency plans for temporarily 
adjusting checkpoint operations to provide for 
passenger and employee safety while maintain-
ing security during the communicable disease 
outbreak. 
‘‘(E) Provisions setting forth criteria for 
establishing an interagency task force or other 
standing engagement platform with other ap-
propriate Federal departments and agencies, in-
cluding the Department of Health and Human 
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Services and the Department of Transportation, 
to address such communicable disease outbreak. 
‘‘(F) A description of scenarios in which 
the Administrator should consider exercising 
authorities provided under subsection (g) and 
for what purposes. 
‘‘(G) Considerations for assessing the ap-
propriateness of issuing security directives and 
emergency amendments to regulated parties in 
various modes of transportation, including sur-
face transportation, and plans for ensuring 
compliance with such measures. 
‘‘(H) A description of any potential obsta-
cles, including funding constraints and limita-
tions to authorities, that could restrict the abil-
ity of the Administration to respond appro-
priately to a communicable disease outbreak. 
‘‘(4) DISSEMINATION.—Upon development of 
the plan required under paragraph (1), the Adminis-
trator shall disseminate the plan to the partners 
identified under paragraph (3)(A) and to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
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‘‘(5) REVIEW OF PLAN.—Not later than two 
years after the date on which the plan is dissemi-
nated under paragraph (4), and biennially there-
after, the Secretary, acting through the Adminis-
trator and in coordination with the Chief Medical 
Officer of the Department of Homeland Security, 
shall review the plan and, after consultation with the 
partners identified under paragraphs (3)(A)(i) 
through (3)(A)(iv), update the plan as appropriate.’’. 
(b) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—Not later 
than one year after the date on which the transportation 
security preparedness plan required under subsection (x) 
of section 114 of title 49, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a), is disseminated under paragraph (4) of 
such subsection (x), the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a report containing the results of a study assessing the 
transportation security preparedness plan, including an 
analysis of— 
(1) whether such plan aligns with relevant Fed-
eral plans and strategies for communicable disease 
outbreaks; and 
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(2) the extent to which the Transportation Se-
curity Administration is prepared to implement the 
plan. 
Æ 
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