In the Senate of the United States, 
August 5, 2015. 
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 720) entitled ‘‘An Act to improve intergovern-
mental planning for and communication during security inci-
dents at domestic airports, and for other purposes.’’, do pass 
with the following 
AMENDMENT: 
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert: 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gerardo Hernandez Air-
port Security Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assist-
ant Secretary’’ means the Assistant Secretary of 
Homeland Security (Transportation Security) of the 
Department of Homeland Security.
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(2) ADMINISTRATION.—The term ‘‘Administra-
tion’’ means the Transportation Security Administra-
tion. 
SEC. 3. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE AT AIRPORTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary shall, in 
consultation with other Federal agencies as appropriate, 
conduct outreach to all airports in the United States at 
which the Administration performs, or oversees the imple-
mentation and performance of, security measures, and pro-
vide technical assistance as necessary, to verify such air-
ports have in place individualized working plans for re-
sponding to security incidents inside the perimeter of the 
airport, including active shooters, acts of terrorism, and in-
cidents that target passenger-screening checkpoints. 
(b) TYPES OF PLANS.—Such plans may include, but 
may not be limited to, the following: 
(1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care 
to persons inside the perimeter of the airport, with 
consideration given to the needs of persons with dis-
abilities. 
(2) A plan for establishing a unified command, 
including identification of staging areas for non-air-
port-specific law enforcement and fire response. 
(3) A schedule for regular testing of communica-
tions equipment used to receive emergency calls.
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(4) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed 
by persons inside the perimeter of the airport will 
reach airport police in an expeditious manner. 
(5) A practiced method and plan to commu-
nicate with travelers and all other persons inside the 
perimeter of the airport. 
(6) To the extent practicable, a projected max-
imum timeframe for law enforcement response to ac-
tive shooters, acts of terrorism, and incidents that tar-
get passenger security-screening checkpoints. 
(7) A schedule of joint exercises and training to 
be conducted by the airport, the Administration, other 
stakeholders such as airport and airline tenants, and 
any relevant law enforcement, airport police, fire, 
and medical personnel. 
(8) A schedule for producing after-action joint 
exercise reports to identify and determine how to im-
prove security incident response capabilities. 
(9) A strategy, where feasible, for providing air-
port law enforcement with access to airport security 
video surveillance systems at category X airports 
where those systems were purchased and installed 
using Administration funds. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant
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Secretary shall report to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on 
the findings from its outreach to airports under subsection 
(a), including an analysis of the level of preparedness such 
airports have to respond to security incidents, including ac-
tive shooters, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target 
passenger-screening checkpoints. 
SEC. 4. DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ON BEST PRAC-
TICES. 
The Assistant Secretary shall— 
(1) identify best practices that exist across air-
ports for security incident planning, management, 
and training; and 
(2) establish a mechanism through which to 
share such best practices with other airport operators 
nationwide. 
SEC. 5. CERTIFICATION. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and annually thereafter, the Assistant Secretary 
shall certify in writing to the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
that all screening personnel have participated in practical 
training exercises for active shooter scenarios.
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SEC. 6. REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENTS. 
Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, 
the Assistant Secretary shall provide to the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate an analysis of how the Administration can use 
cost savings achieved through efficiencies to increase over 
the next 5 fiscal years the funding available for checkpoint 
screening law enforcement support reimbursable agree-
ments. 
SEC. 7. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE FOR SURFACE 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary shall, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, and 
other relevant agencies, conduct outreach to all passenger 
transportation agencies and providers with high-risk facili-
ties, as identified by the Assistant Secretary, to verify such 
agencies and providers have in place plans to respond to 
active shooters, acts of terrorism, or other security-related 
incidents that target passengers. 
(b) TYPES OF PLANS.—As applicable, such plans may 
include, but may not be limited to, the following: 
(1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care 
to individuals, with consideration given to the needs 
of persons with disabilities. 
(2) A plan for establishing a unified command.
† HR 720 EAS 
(3) A plan for frontline employees to receive ac-
tive shooter training. 
(4) A schedule for regular testing of communica-
tions equipment used to receive emergency calls. 
(5) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed 
by individuals using the transportation system will 
reach police in an expeditious manner. 
(6) A practiced method and plan to commu-
nicate with individuals using the transportation sys-
tem. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall report to the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the 
findings from its outreach to the agencies and providers 
under subsection (a), including an analysis of the level of 
preparedness such transportation systems have to respond 
to security incidents. 
(d) DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.—The Assist-
ant Secretary shall identify best practices for security inci-
dent planning, management, and training and establish a 
mechanism through which to share such practices with pas-
senger transportation agencies nationwide.
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SEC. 8. NO ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this Act, and this Act shall be carried out using 
amounts otherwise available for such purpose. 
SEC. 9. INTEROPERABILITY REVIEW. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall, 
in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of the Office 
of Cybersecurity and Communications, conduct a review of 
the interoperable communications capabilities of the law 
enforcement, fire, and medical personnel responsible for re-
sponding to a security incident, including active shooter 
events, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target pas-
senger-screening checkpoints, at all airports in the United 
States at which the Administration performs, or oversees 
the implementation and performance of, security measures. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the comple-
tion of the review, the Assistant Secretary shall report the 
findings of the review to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
† HR 720 EAS 
rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
Attest: 
Secretary.
114TH CONGRESS 1st SESSION H e R. 7 2 0 AMENDMENT