Title: SAFE TECH Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Security Assessment Feasibility for Equipment Testing and Evaluation of Capabilities for our Homeland Act or the SAFE TECH Act
This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to develop a program allowing a vendor to obtain performance testing of transportation security screening technology through a third party as an alternative to the TSA's regular testing process. The TSA must also develop a process for reciprocal recognition of security standards in coordination with the European Civil Aviation Conference.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4561 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4561

To provide for third party testing of transportation security screening 
                  technology, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 6, 2017

   Mr. Bilirakis (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Katko, and Mr. Dunn) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for third party testing of transportation security screening 
                  technology, 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 ``Security Assessment Feasibility for 
Equipment Testing and Evaluation of Capabilities for our Homeland Act'' 
or the ``SAFE TECH Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        Transportation Security Administration.
            (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.

SEC. 3. THIRD PARTY TESTING OF SECURITY SCREENING TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the 
Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of 
Homeland Security, shall develop a program to enable a vendor of 
transportation security screening technology to obtain testing, 
including as an alternative to the Administration's testing process 
under paragraph (9) of section 114(f) of title 49, United States Code, 
by an appropriate third party, as determined by the Administrator, in 
consultation with the Under Secretary, of such technology before 
procurement or development of such technology.
    (b) Detection Testing.--
            (1) In general.--The third party testing program authorized 
        under subsection (a) shall include detection testing to 
        evaluate the performance of a security screening technology 
        relating to the probability of detection, the probability of 
        false alarm, and other indicators that such technology is able 
        to meet the Administration's mission needs for detection of--
                    (A) explosives; and
                    (B) prohibited items.
            (2) Coordination with final processes.--To the extent 
        practicable, and without compromising the integrity of the 
        Administration's testing process under paragraph (9) of section 
        114(f) of title 49, United States Code, or the Department of 
        Homeland Security's oversight of such testing process, or 
        increasing costs to the Administration, the Administrator shall 
        coordinate the third party detection testing under paragraph 
        (1) with any associated subsequent final Government Department 
        of Homeland Security testing.
            (3) International partnerships.--To the extent practicable 
        and permissible under law, and in accordance with national 
        security interests of the United States, the Administrator 
        shall--
                    (A) share with appropriate international partners 
                detection testing information and standards; and
                    (B) coordinate with such appropriate international 
                partners to align such testing information and 
                standards to maximize the capability to detect 
                explosives and other threats.
    (c) Alternative Testing Factors.--Third party testing under 
subsection (a) may include as an alternative, at the discretion of the 
Administrator, the testing at the TSA Systems Integration Facility of 
the Administration, including testing for--
            (1) health and safety factors;
            (2) operator interface;
            (3) human factors;
            (4) environmental factors;
            (5) throughput;
            (6) reliability, maintainability, and availability factors; 
        and
            (7) interoperability.
    (d) Testing Framework.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator, in consultation with 
        the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the 
        Department of Homeland Security, shall--
                    (A) establish a framework for the third party 
                testing under this section to determine if the security 
                screening technology that is the subject of such 
                testing satisfies the Administration's requirements 
                before such technology may enter or re-enter, as 
                applicable, operational testing at an airport or other 
                transportation facility; and
                    (B) use phased implementation to allow the 
                Administration and the third party concerned to 
                establish best practices.
    (e) Prioritization of Third Party Testing.--The Administrator may 
prioritize, when appropriate, the field testing of security screening 
technology and equipment by third parties.

SEC. 4. RECIPROCAL RECOGNITION OF SECURITY STANDARDS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator, in coordination with the 
European Civil Aviation Conference, shall continue development of a 
validation process for the reciprocal recognition of security 
validation processes for recognition of security screening technologies 
or certification authorities for deployment.
    (b) Requirement.--The validation process under subsection (a) shall 
ensure that the certification process of each participating 
international security partner or recognized certification authority 
complies with Administration standards.
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