1112 
(4) SHARING
PILOT
PROGRAM
TESTING
RE-
SULTS.—The results of the pilot testing of advanced 
cargo scanning technologies shall be shared, as appro-
priate, with government agencies and private stake-
holders whose responsibilities encompass the secure 
transport of cargo. 
SEC. 1980. PIPELINE SECURITY STUDY. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study regarding the roles and respon-
sibilities of the Department of Homeland Security and the 
Department of Transportation with respect to pipeline se-
curity. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The study under subsection (a) shall 
examine— 
(1) whether the Annex to the Memorandum of 
Understanding executed on August 9, 2006, between 
the Department of Homeland Security and the De-
partment of Transportation adequately delineates 
strategic and operational responsibilities for pipeline 
security, including whether it is clear which depart-
ment is responsible for— 
(A) protecting against intentional pipeline 
breaches and cyber attacks; 
(B) responding to intentional pipeline 
breaches and cyber attacks; and
1113 
(C) planning to recover from the impact of 
intentional pipeline breaches and cyber attacks; 
(2) whether the respective roles and responsibil-
ities of each department are adequately conveyed to 
relevant stakeholders and to the public; 
(3) whether the processes and procedures for de-
termining whether a particular pipeline breach is a 
terrorist incident are clear and effective; 
(4) whether, and if so how, pipeline sector stake-
holders share security-related information; 
(5) the guidance pipeline operators report use to 
address security risks and the extent to which the 
TSA ensures its guidelines reflect the current threat 
environment; 
(6) the extent to which the TSA has assessed se-
curity risks to pipeline systems; and 
(7) the extent to which the TSA has assessed its 
effectiveness in reducing pipeline security risks. 
(c) REPORT ON STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of the TSA Modernization Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
1114 
resentatives a report containing the findings of the study 
under subsection (a). 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date the report under subsection (c) is submitted, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall review and ana-
lyze the study and submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives a report on such review and analysis, including any 
recommendations for— 
(1) changes to the Annex to the Memorandum of 
Understanding referred to in subsection (b)(1); and 
(2) other improvements to pipeline security ac-
tivities at the Department. 
SEC. 1981. FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT. 
(a) EMERGING ISSUES.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator and in coordination with the 
Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security, shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a feasibility assessment of modi-
fying the security of surface transportation assets by— 
(1) introducing next generation technologies to be 
integrated into systems of surface transportation as-
1115 
sets to detect explosives, including through the deploy-
ment of mobile explosives detection technologies to 
conduct risk-based passenger and property screening 
at such systems; 
(2) providing surface transportation asset opera-
tors with access to the Transportation Security Ad-
ministration’s Secure Flight Program or a similar 
passenger vetting system maintained by the Trans-
portation Security Administration; 
(3) deploying a credential authentication tech-
nology or other means of identification document in-
spection to high-risk surface transportation assets to 
assist operators conducting passenger vetting; and 
(4) deploying scalable, cost-effective technology 
solutions to detect chemical, biological, radiological, 
nuclear, or explosive threats within high-risk surface 
transportation assets that are capable of passive, con-
tinuous, and real-time sensing and detection of, and 
alerting passengers and operating personnel to, the 
presence of such a threat. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out the assessment 
under subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through the Ad-
ministrator and in coordination with the Under Secretary 
for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland 
Security, shall address the technological, privacy, oper-
1116 
ational, passenger facilitation, and public acceptance con-
siderations involved with each security measure con-
templated in such assessment. 
SEC. 1982. BEST PRACTICES TO SECURE AGAINST VEHICLE- 
BASED ATTACKS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall disseminate best prac-
tices to public and private stakeholders regarding how to 
enhance transportation security against the threat of a ve-
hicle-based terrorist attack. 
SEC. 1983. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION STAKEHOLDER SUR-
VEY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall begin con-
ducting a survey of public and private stakeholders respon-
sible for securing surface transportation assets regarding re-
source challenges, including the availability of Federal 
funding, associated with securing such assets that provides 
an opportunity for respondents to set forth information on 
specific unmet needs. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after beginning 
the survey required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
report to the appropriate committees of Congress regarding 
the results of such survey and the Department of Homeland
1117 
Security’s efforts to address any identified security 
vulnerabilities. 
SEC. 1984. NUCLEAR MATERIAL AND EXPLOSIVE DETEC-
TION TECHNOLOGY. 
The Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology and the 
head of each relevant Federal department or agency re-
searching nuclear material detection systems or explosive 
detection systems, shall research, facilitate, and, to the ex-
tent practicable, deploy next generation technologies, in-
cluding active neutron interrogation, to detect nuclear ma-
terial and explosives in transportation systems and trans-
portation facilities. 
Subtitle H—Transportation 
Security 
SEC. 1985. NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR TRANSPORTATION SE-
CURITY REVIEW. 
(a) GAO REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall evaluate the degree 
to which the most recent National Strategy for Trans-
portation Security, as updated, under section 114(s) 
of title 49, United States Code, is reflected in relevant
1118 
Federal transportation security programs, budgets, re-
search, staffing levels, and related activities. 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In conducting the eval-
uation under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General 
shall consider the degree to which— 
(A) the strategy is sufficiently forward-look-
ing to guide future Federal efforts relating to 
transportation security; 
(B) Federal transportation security pro-
grams, budgets, research, staffing levels, and re-
lated activities for fiscal year 2019 and subse-
quent fiscal years would be guided by the strat-
egy; and 
(C) any annual progress reports submitted 
to Congress under that section after the strategy 
is submitted would provide information on the 
degree to which that strategy guides Federal ef-
forts relating to transportation security. 
SEC. 1986. RISK SCENARIOS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall annually 
develop, consistent with the transportation modal security 
plans required under section 114(s) of title 49, United 
States Code, risk-based priorities based on risk assessments 
conducted or received by the Secretary across all transpor-
1120 
garding threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences 
made in assessing and prioritizing risks within each 
such mode and across modes. 
(d) 
CLASSIFICATION.—The 
information 
provided 
under subsection (c) may be submitted in a classified for-
mat or unclassified format, as the Administrator considers 
appropriate. 
SEC. 1987. INTEGRATED AND UNIFIED OPERATIONS CEN-
TERS. — 
(a) FRAMEWORK.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in con-
sultation with the heads of other appropriate offices or com-
ponents of the Department, shall make available to public 
and private stakeholders a framework for establishing an 
integrated and unified operations center responsible for 
overseeing daily operations of a transportation facility that 
promotes coordination for responses to terrorism, serious in-
cidents, and other purposes, as determined appropriate by 
the Administrator. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the ap-
propriate committees of Congress regarding the establish-
ment and activities of integrated and unified operations 
centers at transportation facilities at which the TSA has 
a presence.
1121 
SEC. 1988. NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT FORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 449, as 
amended by section 1943 of this Act, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 44948. NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT OFFICE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the Transportation Security Administration a National 
Deployment Office, to be headed by an individual with su-
pervisory experience. Such individual shall be designated 
by the Administrator of the Transportation Security Ad-
ministration. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The individual designated as the head 
of the National Deployment Office shall be responsible for 
the following: 
‘‘(1) Maintaining a National Deployment Force 
within the Transportation Security Administration, 
including transportation security officers, supervisory 
transportation security officers and lead transpor-
tation security officers, to provide the Administration 
with rapid and efficient response capabilities and 
augment the Department of Homeland Security’s 
homeland security operations to mitigate and reduce 
risk, including for the following: 
‘‘(A) Airports temporarily requiring addi-
tional security personnel due to an emergency, 
seasonal 
demands, 
hiring 
shortfalls, 
severe
1122 
weather conditions, passenger volume mitigation, 
equipment support, or other reasons. 
‘‘(B) Special events requiring enhanced se-
curity including National Special Security 
Events, as determined by the Secretary of Home-
land Security. 
‘‘(C) Response in the aftermath of any man-
made disaster, including any terrorist attack. 
‘‘(D) Other such situations, as determined 
by the Administrator. 
‘‘(2) Educating transportation security officers 
regarding how to participate in the Administration’s 
National Deployment Force. 
‘‘(3) Recruiting officers to serve on the National 
Deployment Force, in accordance with a staffing 
model to be developed by the Administrator. 
‘‘(4) Approving 1-year appointments for officers 
to serve on the National Deployment Force, with an 
option to extend upon officer request and with the ap-
proval of the appropriate Federal Security Director. 
‘‘(5) Training officers to serve on the National 
Deployment Force.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
subchapter II of chapter 449, as amended by section 1943
1123 
of this Act, is further amended by adding after the item 
relating to section 44947 the following: 
‘‘44948. National Deployment Office.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 114(f), as 
amended by section 1904 of this Act, is further amended— 
(1) in paragraph (14), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon at the end; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (15) as para-
graph (16); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (14) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(15) establish and maintain a National Deploy-
ment Office as required under section 44948 of this 
title; and’’. 
(d) CAREER DEVELOPMENT.—The Administrator may 
consider service in the National Deployment Force as a 
positive factor when evaluating applicants for promotion 
opportunities within the TSA. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for 5 years, 
the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a report regarding activities of the National 
Deployment Office, including the National Deployment 
Force, established under section 44948 of title 49, United 
States Code. Each such report shall include information re-
lating to the following:
1124 
(1) When, where, why, how many, and for how 
long the National Deployment Force was deployed 
throughout the 12-month period covered by such re-
port and the costs associated with such deployment. 
(2) A description of collaboration between the 
National Deployment Office and other components of 
the Department, other Federal agencies, and State 
and local transportation security stakeholders. 
(3) The size of the National Deployment Force, 
including information on the staffing model of the 
National Deployment Force and adherence to such 
model as established by the Administrator. 
(4) Information on recruitment, appointment, 
and training activities, including processes utilized to 
attract, recruit, appoint, and train officers to serve on 
the National Deployment Force. 
SEC. 1989. INFORMATION SHARING AND CYBERSECURITY. 
(a) FEDERAL SECURITY DIRECTORS.—Section 44933 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) INFORMATION SHARING.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of the TSA Modernization 
Act, the Administrator shall— 
‘‘(1) require each Federal Security Director of an 
airport to meet at least quarterly with the airport di-
rector, airport security coordinator, and law enforce-
1125 
ment agencies serving each such airport to discuss in-
cident management protocols, including the resolution 
of screening anomalies at passenger screening check-
points; and 
‘‘(2) require each Federal Security Director at 
an airport to inform, consult, and coordinate, as ap-
propriate, with the respective airport security coordi-
nator in a timely manner on security matters im-
pacting airport operations and to establish and 
maintain operational protocols with such airport op-
erators to ensure coordinated responses to security 
matters.’’. 
(b) PLAN TO IMPROVE INFORMATION SHARING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall develop a plan to improve intelligence informa-
tion sharing with State and local transportation enti-
ties that includes best practices to ensure that the in-
formation shared is actionable, useful, and not redun-
dant. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The plan required under para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The incorporation of best practices for 
information sharing.