SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing Public Areas 
of Transportation Facilities Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) PUBLIC
AND
PRIVATE
SECTOR
STAKE-
HOLDERS.—The term ‘‘public and private sector 
stakeholders’’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 114(u)(1)(C) of title 49, United States Code. 
(2) SURFACE
TRANSPORTATION
ASSET.—The 
term ‘‘surface transportation asset’’ includes facili-
ties, equipment, or systems used to provide transpor-
tation services by— 
(A) a public transportation agency (as 
such term is defined in section 1402(5) of the 
Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 
Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–53; 
6 U.S.C. 1131(5))); 
(B) a railroad carrier (as such term is de-
fined in section 20102(3) of title 49, United 
States Code); 
(C) an owner or operator of— 
(i) an entity offering scheduled, fixed- 
route transportation services by over-the 
road bus (as such term is defined in sec-
tion 1501(4) of the Implementing Rec-
ommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act 
of 2007 (Public Law 110–53; 6 U.S.C. 
1151(4))); or 
(ii) a bus terminal; or 
(D) other transportation facilities, equip-
ment, or systems, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
SEC. 3. PUBLIC AREA SECURITY WORKING GROUP. 
(a) WORKING GROUP.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall establish a working group to promote col-
laborative engagement between the Department of Home-
land Security and public and private sector stakeholders 
to develop non-binding recommendations for enhancing se-
curity in public areas of transportation facilities (including 
facilities that are surface transportation assets), including 
recommendations regarding the following topics: 
(1) Information sharing and interoperable com-
munication capabilities among the Department of 
Homeland Security and public and private stake-
holders with respect to terrorist or other threats. 
(2) Coordinated incident response procedures. 
(3) The prevention of terrorist attacks and 
other incidents through strategic planning, security 
training, exercises and drills, law enforcement pa-
trols, worker vetting, and suspicious activity report-
ing. 
(4) Infrastructure protection through effective 
construction design barriers and installation of ad-
vanced surveillance and other security technologies. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the establishment of the working group under subsection 
(a) and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall report to the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate on the working group’s organization, partici-
pation, activities, findings, and non-binding recommenda-
tions for the immediately preceding 12-month period. The 
Secretary may publish a public version of such report that 
describes the working group’s activities and such related 
matters as would be informative to the public, consistent 
with section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code. 
(c) INAPPLICABILITY OF THE FEDERAL ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE ACT.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the working group es-
tablished under subsection (a) or any subsidiary thereof. 
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall—
(1) inform owners and operators of surface 
transportation assets about the availability of tech-
nical assistance, including vulnerability assessment 
tools and cybersecurity guidelines, to help protect 
and enhance the resilience of public areas of such 
assets; and 
(2) subject to the availability of appropriations, 
provide such technical assistance to requesting own-
ers and operators of surface transportation assets. 
(b) BEST PRACTICES.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall publish on the Department of 
Homeland Security’s website and widely disseminate, as 
appropriate, best practices for protecting and enhancing 
the resilience of public areas of transportation facilities 
(including facilities that are surface transportation as-
sets), including associated frameworks or templates for 
implementation. Such best practices shall be updated peri-
odically. 
SEC. 5. REVIEW. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration shall submit to 
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that 
includes a review of regulations, directives, policies, and 
procedures issued by the Administrator regarding the 
transportation of a firearm and ammunition, and, as ap-
propriate, information on plans to modify any such regula-
tion, directive, policy, or procedure based on such review. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In preparing the report re-
quired under subsection (a), the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration shall consult with 
the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (established 
pursuant to section 44946 of title 49, United States Code) 
and appropriate public and private sector stakeholders. 
Passed the House of Representatives June 25, 2018. 
Attest: 
Clerk.