To further protect the United States aviation system from terrorist attacks.

Bill: 108-hr-5121
Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2004-09-22 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Access to airports
Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Air cargo
Aircraft pilots
Airline employees
Airline passenger traffic
Airlines
Airports
Antiaircraft missiles
Armed Forces and National Security
Arms control
Arms control agreements
Authorization
Aviation safety
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Commercial aircraft
Computer matching
Computer security measures
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost accounting
Cost effectiveness
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Data banks
Department of Homeland Security
EBB Terrorism
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Executive reorganization
Explosions
Explosives
Federal aid to transportation
Federal law enforcement officers
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Fees
Fines (Penalties)
Flight crews
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government trust funds
Health
Human engineering
Identification devices
Identification of criminals
Infrastructure
International Affairs
International cooperation
Labor and Employment
Law
Law enforcement officers
Leases
Packaging
Police
Police training
Right of privacy
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Standards
Strategic planning
Subsidies
Technological innovations
Terrorism
Tourism
Transportation engineering
Transportation planning
Treaties
User charges
Weapons
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: 
Amends Federal transportation law to direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration (TSA)) to issue guidance for the use of biometrics or other technology that positively verifies the identity of each airport employee and law enforcement officer who enters a secure area of an airport. (Currently, the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is authorized to provide for such use).
 
Authorizes appropriations.
 
Directs the Assistant Secretary to establish a program to enter into multi-year contracts with airport operators or other non-Federal entities to provide electronic explosive detection system images of checked baggage for screening purposes.
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to prepare a transportation sector specific plan and transportation modal security plans that at a minimum: (1) set risk-based priorities for defending aviation assets; (2) assign roles and missions to Federal, State, regional, and local authorities and to stakeholders; (3) establish a damage mitigation and recovery plan for the aviation system in the event of a terrorist attack; and (4) include a threat matrix document that outlines each threat to the U.S. aviation system and corresponding layers of security in place to address such threat.
 
Directs the Assistant Secretary to commence testing of a next generation passenger prescreening system that will allow the DHS to assume the performance of comparing passenger name records (including airport employees) to the automatic selectee and no fly lists, utilizing the Federal Government's terrorist watchlist.
 
Sets forth requirements for: (1) the deployment and use of explosive and nonmetallic weapon detection equipment at airport screening checkpoints; (2) a pilot program to evaluate the use of blast-resistant containers for cargo and baggage on passenger aircraft; (3) the establishment in the DHS of a Checkpoint Screening Security Fund; (4) a pilot program to test and deploy next generation security checkpoint screening technology at a certain number of U.S. airports; (5) civil penalties for failure to secure a cockpit door; (6) appropriate in-flight counterterrorism procedures and tactic training to Federal law enforcement officers; (7) a pilot program to allow pilots participating in the Federal flight deck officer program to transport their firearms on their persons; (8) implementation of the registered traveler program; (9) the establishment of an Under Secretary for Local Government and Tourism; (10) the Federal Air Marshal Service to provide air marshal training to foreign law enforcement personnel; and (11) international efforts to limit the availability, transfer, and proliferation of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-09-29
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-09-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held Prior to Referral.