Title: Cuban Airport Security Act of 2017
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Cuban Airport Security Act of 2017
This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to brief Congress and the Government Accountability Office on specified aspects of security measures at each of Cuba's 10 international airports
No U.S. air carrier that has entered into a covered agreement may employ a Cuban national beginning 30 days after enactment of this bill unless such carrier has publicly disclosed the full text of the agreement, and such nationals shall not have been recruited, hired, or trained by entities that are owned, operated, or controlled by Cuba's Council of State, Council of Ministers, Communist Party, Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or Ministry of the Interior.
A "covered agreement" means a formal agreement between a U.S. air carrier with passenger air service between any location in Cuba and any location in the United States and the Empresa Cubana de Aeropuertos y Servicios Aeronauticos or any other entity associated with the Cuban government.
TSA shall develop a standard working document for all negotiations and agreements between the United States and foreign governments or partners regarding Federal Air Marshal coverage of flights to and from the United States. All such agreements shall be written and signed by the DHS Secretary. DHS shall notify Congress of any such agreement within 30 days of it being signed.
The U.S. Ambassador or the Charge d'Affaires to the U.S. Mission to the International Civil Aviation Organization shall pursue improvements to airport security, including introducing a resolution to raise minimum airport security standards.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2023 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2023

To require a study regarding security measures and equipment at Cuba's 
 airports, require the standardization of Federal Air Marshal Service 
 agreements, require efforts to raise international aviation security 
                   standards, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 26, 2017

   Mr. Rubio introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require a study regarding security measures and equipment at Cuba's 
 airports, require the standardization of Federal Air Marshal Service 
 agreements, require efforts to raise international aviation security 
                   standards, 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 ``Cuban Airport Security Act of 
2017''.

SEC. 2. FLIGHTS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration shall brief 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 on the following aspects of security measures at each of Cuba's 
ten international airports:
            (1) Details about the type of equipment used at screening 
        checkpoints and an analysis of such equipment's capabilities 
        and weaknesses.
            (2) Information about each such airport's canine program, 
        if used.
            (3) The frequency of training for screening and security 
        personnel.
            (4) Access controls in place to ensure only credentialed 
        personnel have access to the secure and sterile areas of such 
        airports.
            (5) An assessment of the ability of known or suspected 
        terrorists to use Cuba as a gateway to entering the United 
        States.
            (6) Security of such airports' perimeters.
            (7) A mitigation assessment regarding Man Portable Air 
        Defense Systems.
            (8) The vetting practices and procedures for airport 
        employees.
            (9) Any other information determined relevant to the 
        security practices, procedures, and equipment in place at such 
        airports.
    (b) Public Disclosure of Certain Agreements.--
            (1) Disclosure required.--No United States air carrier that 
        has entered into a covered agreement may employ a Cuban 
        national pursuant to section 515.573 of title 31, Code of 
        Federal Regulations, after the date that is 30 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act unless the air carrier has 
        publicly disclosed the full text of the covered agreement.
            (2) Hiring and training requirements.--Notwithstanding any 
        other provision of law or regulation, to the extent 
        practicable, Cuban nationals referred to in paragraph (1) shall 
        not have been recruited, hired, or trained by entities that are 
        owned, operated, or controlled, in whole or in part, by Cuba's 
        Council of State, Council of Ministers, Communist Party, 
        Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Ministry of Foreign 
        Affairs, or Ministry of the Interior.
            (3) Covered agreement.--In this subsection, the term 
        ``covered agreement'' means a formal agreement between a United 
        States air carrier with passenger air service between any 
        location in Cuba and any location in the United States and the 
        Empresa Cubana de Aeropuertos y Servicios Aeronauticos or any 
        other entity associated with the Government of Cuba.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SERVICE AGREEMENTS.

    (a) Standardization.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the 
enactment of the Act, the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration shall develop a standard working document to serve as 
the basis for all negotiations and agreements that begin after such 
date between the United States and foreign governments or partners 
regarding Federal Air Marshal coverage of flights to and from the 
United States.
    (b) Written Agreements.--All agreements between the United States 
and foreign governments or partners regarding the presence of Federal 
Air Marshals on flights to and from the United States pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall be written and signed by the Secretary of Homeland 
Security or the Secretary's designee.
    (c) Congressional Notification.--The Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate any agreement entered into under this 
section within 30 days of such agreement being signed.

SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the United States Ambassador or the Charge 
d'Affaires to the United States Mission to the International Civil 
Aviation Organization shall pursue improvements to airport security, 
including if practicable, introducing a resolution to raise minimum 
standards for airport security.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the United States Ambassador or the Charge 
d'Affaires to the United States Mission to the International Civil 
Aviation Organization shall report to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the 
implementation of subsection (a).
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