I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4249 
To protect the dignity and privacy of transgender and other minority travelers 
at airport security checkpoints, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 30, 2021 
Miss RICE of New York (for herself, Mr. PETERS, Ms. NEWMAN, Ms. 
JAYAPAL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Ms. WEXTON) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To protect the dignity and privacy of transgender and other 
minority travelers at airport security checkpoints, 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 ‘‘Screening With Dig-
nity Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TSA SCREENING PROCEDURES AND TRAINING. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF PROCEDURES.— 
(1) TRANSGENDER
PASSENGERS.—Not later 
than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Act, the Administrator shall develop procedures to 
appropriately and respectfully screen self-identified 
transgender passengers. In developing such proce-
dures, the Administrator shall take into consider-
ation the particular needs of persons whose gender 
identity is different or is perceived to be different 
from their assigned sex at birth and the particular 
impact of screening on transgender passengers as 
opposed to the general population of passengers. 
(2) PASSENGERS WITH RELIGIOUS HEADWEAR 
AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FAITH.—Not later than 
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall develop procedures to appro-
priately and respectfully screen individuals traveling 
with religious headwear or other articles of faith. In 
developing such procedures, the Administrator shall 
take into consideration the particular needs of per-
sons whose religious faith requires traveling with ar-
ticles of faith and the particular impact of screening 
on these passengers as opposed to the general popu-
lation of passengers. 
(b) TRAINING OF TSOS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF 
PROCEDURES.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall begin 
conducting in-person training of all Transportation Secu-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
rity Officers on the screening procedures developed under 
subsection (a) and shall implement such procedures. Such 
training shall be designed and, wherever practicable, deliv-
ered with the participation of community groups rep-
resenting the relevant traveler populations. 
SEC. 3. PROTECTION OF PASSENGERS. 
The Administrator shall take such steps as may be 
necessary to ensure each of the following with respect to 
passenger screening: 
(1) The prohibition on human viewing of indi-
vidual passenger images. 
(2) The prohibition on retention of individual 
passenger image data. 
(3) That passengers are provided with an alter-
native to advanced imaging technology scans. 
(4) That pat-downs of passengers are required 
to be conducted by an officer of the gender re-
quested by the passenger. 
(5) That each passenger is provided with the 
option of a private screening in an area with a mir-
ror and with the witness of the passenger’s choice. 
(6) That passengers are not required to lift or 
remove clothing exposing sensitive areas of the body 
or lift or remove religious headwear or to remove 
prostheses unless no less intrusive screening method 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
is available and the passenger is provided with visual 
privacy via a drape or other means in a private 
screening area. 
(7) That pat-downs or other secondary screen-
ing measures shall be no more intrusive than nec-
essary to resolve an alarm or other concern raised 
by primary screening (including consideration of less 
intrusive alternatives such as a self pat-down with 
explosive trace detection, a limited pat-down, or ca-
nine detection and consideration of the sensitivity of 
the groin, chest, and other body areas and the sensi-
tivity of religious articles of faith, including religious 
headwear). 
(8) The prohibition of profiling or other dis-
crimination on the basis of race, color, national ori-
gin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, pa-
rental status, or sex (including on the basis of sexual 
orientation or gender identity). 
SEC. 4. REPORT ON SCREENING EQUIPMENT. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall con-
duct a study on the cost and feasibility of retrofitting ad-
vanced image technology screening equipment, or of devel-
oping new such equipment, with the capability to distin-
guish between foreign objects and human body parts (in-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
cluding hair) in a manner that is effectively gender neutral 
or which operates in some other gender neutral manner. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate, and the Comptroller 
General of the United States a report containing the re-
sults of the study conducted under subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. REPORT ON ADVANCED IMAGING TECHNOLOGY. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall con-
duct a study that evaluates the particular impact that ad-
vanced imaging technology has on transgender and gender 
nonconforming passengers, passengers whose religious 
faith requires them to travel with articles of faith includ-
ing religious headwear, and passengers traveling with as-
sistive devices, as opposed to the general population of 
passengers. Such study shall include an examination of in-
stances since 2010 in which a self-identified transgender 
or gender nonconforming passenger or a passenger with 
religious headwear was required to undergo an additional 
screening procedure after screening with advanced imag-
ing technology resulted in an alarm. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report con-
taining the results of the study conducted under sub-
section (a). Such report shall include recommendations to 
reduce any particular impact of screening on transgender 
passengers and on racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, 
including passengers with religious headwear and other ar-
ticles of faith and involve the consultation and input of 
community groups representing the transgender traveler 
population and racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. 
SEC. 6. NEXT GENERATION PASSENGER SCREENING. 
(a) QUALIFICATION.—No later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
identify any policy, procedure, or training changes and 
complete any testing, certification, and assessment for 
qualifying additional technology (if needed) to ensure that 
any advanced imaging technology utilized for passenger 
screening, together with any procedures for clearing 
alarms by such technology— 
(1) does not require or provide for designating 
passengers by gender for screening; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(2) does not utilize passenger gender as a fac-
tor in its detection algorithms; 
(3) does not generate alarms based only on pas-
sengers’ body parts (including hair), undergarments, 
or religious headwear; 
(4) allows for the screening of individuals using 
assistive devices such as wheelchairs in a manner no 
more intrusive than for other individuals; and 
(5) reduces physical pat-downs of passengers to 
the greatest degree practicable given currently avail-
able screening methods. 
(b) NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 
days after the completion of the assessment pursuant to 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall notify the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate in writing of the results. 
This notification shall include— 
(1) a list of all advanced imaging technologies, 
which have the ability to conduct screening without 
designating passengers by gender and do not utilize 
passenger gender in any detection algorithms, that 
qualified; 
(2) an analysis of false alarm rates and pat- 
down rates for the advanced imaging technologies 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
and procedures listed in subsection (b)(1), including 
the false alarm rate for transgender and gender non-
conforming passengers, compared to current ad-
vanced imaging technology and procedures deployed 
at TSA checkpoints; 
(3) any plans to procure or open an acquisition 
program of record for any advanced imaging tech-
nology listed in subsection (b)(1); and 
(4) a detailed summary of all policy, procedure, 
or training changes adopted or identified pursuant 
to subsection (a), and a timeline for implementing 
any remaining changes. 
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Transpor-
tation Security Administration. 
(2) ADVANCED
IMAGING
TECHNOLOGY.—The 
term ‘‘advanced imaging technology’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 826(l)(1)(A) of the 
FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 
U.S.C. 44901(l)(1)(A)). 
(3) GENDER
IDENTITY.—The term ‘‘gender 
identity’’ means the gender-related identity, appear-
ance, mannerisms, or other gender-related character-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
istics of an individual, regardless of the individual’s 
designated sex at birth. 
(4) PAT-DOWN.—The term ‘‘pat-down’’ means 
a physical inspection of a passenger’s body, includ-
ing the inspection of the head, hair, torso, breasts, 
groin, buttocks, or other body parts. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:23 Jul 15, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4249.IH
H4249
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS