H. R. 302—384 
(B) the distribution of VIPR team operations deployed 
across different modes of transportation. 
(2) ANNEX.—The notification under paragraph (1) may con-
tain a classified annex. 
(3) DEFINITION OF VIPR TEAM.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘VIPR’’ means a Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response 
team authorized under section 1303 of the National Transit 
Systems Security Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1112). 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF VIPR TEAMS.—Section 1303(b) of the 
National Transit Systems Security Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1112(b)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘to the extent appropriated, including funds 
to develop not more than 60 VIPR teams, for fiscal years 2016 
through 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘such sums as necessary, including 
funds to develop at least 30, but not more than 60, VIPR teams, 
for fiscal years 2019 through 2021’’. 
SEC. 1931. PUBLIC AREA SECURITY WORKING GROUP. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS.—The term ‘‘public 
and private stakeholders’’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 114(t)(1)(C) of title 49, United States Code. 
(2) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION ASSET.—The term ‘‘surface 
transportation asset’’ includes— 
(A) facilities, equipment, or systems used to provide 
transportation services by— 
(i) a public transportation agency (as the term 
is defined in section 1402 of the Implementing Rec-
ommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 
(6 U.S.C. 1131)); 
(ii) a railroad carrier (as the term is defined in 
section 20102 of title 49, United States Code); 
(iii) an owner or operator of— 
(I) an entity offering scheduled, fixed-route 
transportation services by over-the road bus (as 
the term is defined in section 1501 of the Imple-
menting Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission 
Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1151)); or 
(II) a bus terminal; or 
(B) other transportation facilities, equipment, or sys-
tems, as determined by the Secretary. 
(b) PUBLIC AREA SECURITY WORKING GROUP.— 
(1) WORKING GROUP.—The Administrator, in coordination 
with the National Protection and Programs Directorate, shall 
establish a working group to promote collaborative engagement 
between the TSA and public and private stakeholders to develop 
non-binding recommendations for enhancing security in public 
areas of transportation facilities (including facilities that are 
surface transportation assets), including recommendations 
regarding the following: 
(A) Information sharing and interoperable communica-
tion capabilities among the TSA and public and private 
stakeholders with respect to terrorist or other threats. 
(B) Coordinated incident response procedures. 
(C) The prevention of terrorist attacks and other 
incidents through strategic planning, security training, 
exercises and drills, law enforcement patrols, worker vet-
ting, and suspicious activity reporting.
H. R. 302—385 
(D) 
Infrastructure 
protection 
through 
effective 
construction design barriers and installation of advanced 
surveillance and other security technologies. 
(2) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
the working group is established under paragraph (1), the 
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committee 
of Congress a report, covering the 12-month period pre-
ceding the date of the report, on— 
(i) the organization of the working group; 
(ii) the activities of the working group; 
(iii) the participation of the TSA and public and 
private stakeholders in the activities of the working 
group; 
(iv) the findings of the working group, including 
any recommendations. 
(B) PUBLICATION.—The Administrator may publish a 
public version of such report that describes the activities 
of the working group and such related matters as would 
be informative to the public, consistent with section 552(b) 
of title 5, United States Code. 
(3) NONAPPLICABILITY
OF
FACA.—The Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the working 
group established under subsection (a) or any subcommittee 
thereof. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
(A) inform owners and operators of surface transpor-
tation assets about the availability of technical assistance, 
including vulnerability assessment tools and cybersecurity 
guidelines, to help protect and enhance the resilience of 
public areas of such assets; and 
(B) upon request, and subject to the availability of 
appropriations, provide such technical assistance to owners 
and operators of surface transportation assets. 
(2) BEST PRACTICES.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and periodically thereafter, the Sec-
retary shall publish on the Department website and widely 
disseminate, as appropriate, current best practices for pro-
tecting and enhancing the resilience of public areas of transpor-
tation facilities (including facilities that are surface transpor-
tation assets), including associated frameworks or templates 
for implementation. 
(d) REVIEW.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall— 
(A) review of regulations, directives, policies, and proce-
dures issued by the Administrator regarding the transpor-
tation of a firearm and ammunition; and 
(B) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report on the findings of the review under subparagraph 
(A), including, as appropriate, information on any plans 
to modify any regulation, directive, policy, or procedure 
based on the review. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In preparing the report under para-
graph (1), the Administrator shall consult with— 
(A) ASAC;
H. R. 302—386 
(B) the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Com-
mittee under section 404 of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002; and 
(C) appropriate public and private stakeholders. 
SEC. 1932. PUBLIC AREA BEST PRACTICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall, in accordance with 
law and as received or developed, periodically submit information, 
on any best practices developed by the TSA or appropriate transpor-
tation stakeholders related to protecting the public spaces of 
transportation infrastructure from emerging threats, to the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Federal Security Directors at airports. 
(2) Appropriate security directors for other modes of 
transportation. 
(3) Other appropriate transportation security stakeholders. 
(b) INFORMATION SHARING.—The Administrator shall, in accord-
ance with law— 
(1) in coordination with the Office of the Director of 
National Intelligence and industry partners, implement 
improvements to the Air Domain Intelligence and Analysis 
Center to encourage increased participation from stakeholders 
and enhance government and industry security information 
sharing on transportation security threats, including on cyber-
security threat awareness; 
(2) expand and improve the City and Airport Threat Assess-
ment or similar program to public and private stakeholders 
to capture, quantify, communicate, and apply applicable intel-
ligence to inform transportation infrastructure mitigation meas-
ures, such as— 
(A) quantifying levels of risk by airport that can be 
used to determine risk-based security mitigation measures 
at each location; and 
(B) determining random and surge employee inspection 
operations based on changing levels of risk; 
(3) continue to disseminate Transportation Intelligence 
Notes, tear-lines, and related intelligence products to appro-
priate transportation security stakeholders on a regular basis; 
and 
(4) continue to conduct both regular routine and threat- 
specific classified briefings between the TSA and appropriate 
transportation sector stakeholders on an individual or group 
basis to provide greater information sharing between public 
and private sectors. 
(c) MASS NOTIFICATION.—The Administrator shall encourage 
security stakeholders to utilize mass notification systems, including 
the Integrated Public Alert Warning System of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency and social media platforms, to dissemi-
nate information to transportation community employees, travelers, 
and the general public, as appropriate. 
(d) PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAMS.—The Secretary, in coordina-
tion with the Administrator, shall expand public programs of the 
Department of Homeland Security and the TSA that increase secu-
rity threat awareness, education, and training to include transpor-
tation network public area employees, including airport and 
transportation vendors, local hotels, cab and limousine companies,
H. R. 302—387 
ridesharing companies, cleaning companies, gas station attendants, 
cargo operators, and general aviation members. 
SEC. 1933. AIRPORT WORKER ACCESS CONTROLS COST AND FEASI-
BILITY STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with ASAC, 
shall submit to the Comptroller General of the United States and 
the appropriate committees of Congress a study examining the 
shared cost and feasibility to airports, airlines, and the TSA of 
implementing enhanced employee inspection measures at all access 
points between non-secured areas and secured areas at a statis-
tically significant number of Category I, II, III, IV, and X airports. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.—To the extent practicable, in conducting the 
study, the Administrator shall assess the cost, operational efficiency, 
and security effectiveness of requiring all employees to present 
for inspection at every access point between non-secured areas 
and secured areas of airports, and of deploying some or all of 
the following screening measures and technologies: 
(1) A secure door utilizing card and pin entry or biometric 
technology. 
(2) Surveillance video recording capable of storing video 
data for at least 30 days. 
(3) Advanced screening technologies, including at least 1 
of the following: 
(A) Magnetometer (walk-through or hand-held). 
(B) Explosives detection canines. 
(C) Explosives trace detection swabbing. 
(D) Advanced imaging technology. 
(E) X-ray bag screening technology. 
(4) The TSA’s Advanced Threat Local Allocation Strategy 
(commonly known as ‘‘ATLAS’’). 
(c) CONTENTS.—To the extent practicable, the study under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) Costs associated with establishing an operational min-
imum number of employee entry and exit points. 
(2) A comparison of estimated costs and security effective-
ness associated with implementing the security features speci-
fied in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (b) based 
on information on the experiences from those category I, II, 
III, IV, and X airports that have already implemented or piloted 
enhanced employee inspection measures at access points 
between non-secured areas and secured areas of airports. 
(d) GAO REVIEW.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
receipt of the study under subsection (a), the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall— 
(1) review the study to assess the quality and reliability 
of the study; and 
(2) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report on the results of the review under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 1934. SECURING AIRPORT WORKER ACCESS POINTS. 
(a) COOPERATIVE EFFORTS
TO ENHANCE AIRPORT SECURITY 
AWARENESS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall consult with air carriers, foreign 
air carriers, airport operators, and labor unions representing 
credentialed 
employees 
to 
enhance 
security 
awareness 
of