Strengthen Aviation Security Act

Bill: 109-hr-2649
Sponsor: Rep. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA-7]
Introduced: 2005-05-26 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Access to airports
Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Air cargo
Air routes
Aircraft
Aircraft pilots
Airline employees
Airline passenger traffic
Airlines
Airports
Armed Forces and National Security
Aviation safety
Biological warfare
Business records
Chemical industries
Chemical warfare
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Collective bargaining
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Damages
Data banks
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Labor
Directories
Disciplining of employees
Discrimination in employment
Dismissal of employees
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Employee training
Energy
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to transportation
Federal employees
Federal law enforcement officers
Firearms
Flight crews
Freight forwarders
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Governmental investigations
Grievance procedures
Identification devices
Identification of criminals
Industrial buildings
Infrastructure
International Affairs
Labor and Employment
Labor unions
Law
Legal fees
Nuclear facilities
Nuclear reactors
Nuclear terrorism
Nuclear weapons
Parking facilities
Police communication systems
Police training
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Social Welfare
Social security numbers
Standards
Subcontractors
Terrorism
Transportation workers
Wage restitution
Whistle blowing
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2005-05-26
text: 
Strengthen Aviation Security Act - Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to establish a system to inspect 100% of the cargo transported on passenger aircraft operated by an air carrier or foreign air carrier in air transportation or intrastate air transportation
 

 
Prescribes requirements for deployment of federal law enforcement officers not part of the Federal Air Marshall Service as alternative security personnel on commercial aircraft. Requires the Secretary to ensure the deployment of federal marshals on flights of all-cargo air transportation where sufficient risk of terrorist activity has been determined.
 
Amends the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to require the Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration (TSA)) to study and report to Congress on the viability of devices to enable discreet, wireless communications between flight attendants, pilots, federal air marshals, and ground-based personnel during a flight to improve coordination of planning and activities in the event of an act of terrorism.
 
Prescribes requirements for mandatory basic security training program for flight attendants.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) require aircraft engaged in cargo air transportation or intrastate air transportation to have secured cockpit doors between the cargo and pilot compartments; and (2) establish during high threat levels no-fly zones around sensitive nuclear and chemical facilities.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) require airport operators to complete vulnerability assessments of airport facilities; and (2) develop a plan for addressing such vulnerabilities.
 
Directs the Secretary to require airports serving operators of general aviation aircraft to: (1) require that all aircraft while parked at airports be secured by a visible immobilizing device; and (2) ensure that all individuals with access to such aircraft be subject to a background check.
 
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary to issue regulations to: (1) improve control over access to secured areas of each U.S. airport, including background checks for, and metal detector screening of, airport workers; and (2) prohibit any entity other than an airport operator from issuing a security badge to provide access to the airport's secure area.
 
Sets forth certain whistleblower protection requirements for airport workers (including TSA employees).
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) airport screening functions should continue to be performed by federal employees; and (2) the Secretary should pursue resolution of all issues that have delayed implementation of the mandate to check passenger information against the government watchlist (no-fly list) before departures of international flights to or from the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-07-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2005-06-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity.
action_date: 2005-05-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
action_date: 2005-05-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2005-05-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2005-05-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2005-05-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2005-05-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-05-26
text: Introduced in House