Preclearance Authorization Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-3488
Sponsor: Rep. Meehan, Patrick [R-PA-7]
Introduced: 2013-11-14 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Congressional oversight
Criminal justice information and records
Customs enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government studies and investigations
Homeland security
International law and treaties
Middle East
Qatar
Terrorism
Transportation safety and security
Travel and tourism
United Arab Emirates
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-14
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish preclearance facilities, conduct preclearance operations, or provide customs services outside of the United States to prevent terrorists, terrorist instruments, and other national security threats from gaining access to the United States.
 
Declares such requirements shall not apply to any preclearance facility that was in operation outside of the United States before enactment of this Act.
 
Declares that any preclearance facility located, preclearance operations conducted, or customs services provided at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, or Doha International Airport in Qatar shall not be considered to have been in operation, conducted, or provided before enactment of this Act. Prohibits such facility, operations, or services from being established, conducted, or provided at any of such airports on or after such enactment. 
 
Requires the Secretary, not later than 180 days before entering into any agreement to establish a preclearance facility, conduct preclearance operations, or provide customs services outside of the United States, to: (1) notify Congress and the General Accountability Office (GAO) of the intent to establish such facility, conduct such operations, or provide such services; as well as (2) assess any impacts on passengers traveling to the United States, or economic or security impacts on the United States.

action_date: 2014-07-03
text: 
Preclearance Authorization Act of 2014 - (Sec. 3) Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance operations in a foreign country to:
 
 
prevent terrorists, instruments of terrorism, and other security threats from entering the United States;
 
prevent inadmissible persons from entering the United States;
 
ensure merchandise destined for the United States complies with applicable U.S. customs laws; and
 
ensure the prompt processing of persons eligible to travel to the United States. 
 
 
(Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary to: (1) notify Congress not later than 180 days before entering into an agreement with a foreign country to establish CBP preclearance operations there, and (2) make certain certifications to Congress not later than 90 days before entering into an agreement to establish CBP preclearance operations at an airport in a foreign country.
 
Directs the CBP Commissioner to: 
 
 
measure monthly the average customs processing time to enter the 25 U.S. airports with the highest volume of international travel; 
 
quarterly assess whether the average customs processing time for those airports significantly exceeds the average customs processing time to enter the United States through a preclearance operation; and 
 
provide Congress with a remediation plan for reducing that time in the event of an affirmative assessment.
 
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), before commencement of CBP preclearance operations at an airport in a foreign country, to enter into an agreement requiring the country to adopt aviation security screening standards comparable to those of the United States.
 
Directs the Administrator to require TSA rescreening in the United States of passengers and their property before they may deplane into sterile areas of U.S. airports if they have come from an airport in a foreign country that has failed to maintain security standards and protocols according to such an agreement. 
Requires TSA rescreening also, before being permitted to board a domestic flight in the United States, of any passenger on a flight originating from a foreign airport with preclearance operations who is a selectee based on a check against a terrorist watch list. 
(Sec. 6) Prohibits the Secretary from entering into or renewing an agreement with a foreign country to establish or maintain CBP preclearance operations at an airport in that country unless it certifies that it: 
 
 
routinely submits information about lost and stolen passports of its citizens and nationals to INTERPOL's Stolen and Lost Travel Document database, or
 
makes such information available to the United States through another comparable means of reporting.
 

action_date: 2014-07-08
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on July 3, 2014. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Preclearance Authorization Act of 2014 - (Sec. 3) Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance operations in a foreign country to:
 
 
prevent terrorists, instruments of terrorism, and other security threats from entering the United States;
 
prevent inadmissible persons from entering the United States;
 
ensure merchandise destined for the United States complies with applicable U.S. customs laws; and
 
ensure the prompt processing of persons eligible to travel to the United States. 
 
 
(Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary to: (1) notify Congress not later than 180 days before entering into an agreement with a foreign country to establish CBP preclearance operations there, and (2) make certain certifications to Congress not later than 90 days before entering into an agreement to establish CBP preclearance operations at an airport in a foreign country.
 
Directs the CBP Commissioner to: 
 
 
measure monthly the average customs processing time to enter the 25 U.S. airports with the highest volume of international travel; 
 
quarterly assess whether the average customs processing time for those airports significantly exceeds the average customs processing time to enter the United States through a preclearance operation; and 
 
provide Congress with a remediation plan for reducing that time in the event of an affirmative assessment.
 
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), before commencement of CBP preclearance operations at an airport in a foreign country, to enter into an agreement requiring the country to adopt aviation security screening standards comparable to those of the United States.
 
Directs the Administrator to require TSA rescreening in the United States of passengers and their property before they may deplane into sterile areas of U.S. airports if they have come from an airport in a foreign country that has failed to maintain security standards and protocols according to such an agreement. 
Requires TSA rescreening also, before being permitted to board a domestic flight in the United States, of any passenger on a flight originating from a foreign airport with preclearance operations who is a selectee based on a check against a terrorist watch list. 
(Sec. 6) Prohibits the Secretary from entering into or renewing an agreement with a foreign country to establish or maintain CBP preclearance operations at an airport in that country unless it certifies that it: 
 
 
routinely submits information about lost and stolen passports of its citizens and nationals to INTERPOL's Stolen and Lost Travel Document database, or
 
makes such information available to the United States through another comparable means of reporting.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-09
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-08
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5842-5843)
action_date: 2014-07-08
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5842-5843)
action_date: 2014-07-08
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3488.
action_date: 2014-07-08
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5842-5845)
action_date: 2014-07-08
text: Mr. Meehan moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2014-07-03
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 383.
action_date: 2014-07-03
text: Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
action_date: 2014-07-03
text: Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
action_date: 2014-07-03
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 113-511, Part I.
action_date: 2014-07-03
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 113-511, Part I.
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2014-06-11
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2014-05-20
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2014-05-20
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2013-11-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
action_date: 2013-11-14
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2013-11-14
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2013-11-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-11-14
text: Introduced in House