VETS Safe Travel Act
Bill: H.R.855 | Sponsor: Rep. Gosar, Paul A. (R-AZ)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act or the VETS Safe Travel Act
This bill makes certain veterans eligible for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck Program at no cost if they meet the program's background check and security requirements.
Veterans who are eligible for this fee waiver are those who are in the annual patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and require the use of a wheelchair, prosthetic limb, or other assistive device to aid with mobility due to (1) loss, or loss of use, of a limb; (2) full or partial paralyzation; or (3) permanent blindness.
The VA and the TSA must develop and implement a process to provide disabled veterans effective outreach about TSA programs that are designed to improve the screening process for passengers with disabilities.

To provide PreCheck to certain severely injured or disabled veterans, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Expedited TSA Screening 
Safe Travel Act'' or the ``VETS Safe Travel Act''.

SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF PRECHECK PROGRAM TO CERTAIN SEVERELY INJURED OR 
              DISABLED VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 44927 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Availability of PreCheck Program to Certain Severely Injured 
or Disabled Veterans.--
            ``(1) In general.--A veteran described in paragraph (2) is 
        eligible for security screening under the PreCheck Program 
        under section 44919 at no cost to the veteran if the veteran is 
        able to meet the background check and other security 
        requirements for participation in the program.
            ``(2) Veterans described.--A veteran described in this 
        paragraph is a veteran who--
                    ``(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system 
                of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and 
                operated under section 1705 of title 38, United States 
                Code;
                    ``(B) has--
                            ``(i) lost, or lost use of, a limb;
                            ``(ii) become paralyzed or partially 
                        paralyzed; or
                            ``(iii) incurred permanent blindness; and
                    ``(C) as a result of a loss, paralyzation or 
                partial paralyzation, or blindness described in 
                subparagraph (B), requires the use of a wheelchair, 
                prosthetic limb, or other assistive device to aid with 
                mobility.''.
    (b) Coordination on Implementation.--The Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration and the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall jointly--
            (1) develop and implement a process under which a veteran 
        described in paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of section 44927 
        of title 49, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), 
        can receive the benefits under such subsection by not later 
        than one year after the date of enactment of this Act; and
            (2) provide to Congress a briefing on the status of 
        implementing the process required by paragraph (1) by not later 
        than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. OUTREACH FOR DISABLED VETERANS ON AVAILABILITY OF 
              TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Coordination.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall 
develop and implement a process under which the Secretary provides to 
disabled veterans effective outreach about Transportation Security 
Administration programs designed to improve the screening process for 
passengers with disabilities.
    (b) Further Enhancements To Ease Air Travel for Wounded Warriors 
and Other Disabled Veterans.--Notwithstanding section 3501 et seq. of 
title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act''), or any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration, shall--
            (1) engage appropriate veterans service organizations and 
        other relevant organizations, as appropriate, to assess the 
        awareness of veterans of relevant Transportation Security 
        Administration programs; and
            (2) examine the need and feasibility of other measures to 
        improve travel security procedures for disabled veterans.
    (c) Briefing Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
Administrator of Transportation Security Administration shall jointly 
provide to Congress a briefing on the status of the implementation of 
subsections (a) and (b).
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