Cuban Airport Security Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-5728
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24]
Introduced: 2016-07-12
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Caribbean area

Congressional oversight

Cuba

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Transportation

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Employee hiring

Executive agency funding and structure

Government studies and investigations

International law and treaties

Latin America

Law enforcement officers

Service animals

Terrorism

Transportation employees

Transportation safety and security
Latest action: action_date: 2016-09-13
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-07-12
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Cuban Airport Security Act of 2016</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to report to Congress on specified aspects of security measures at each of Cuba's 10 international airports. The Government Accountability Office shall submit to Congress an audit of the report.</p> <p>The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall establish agreements with the Government of Cuba to allow:</p> <ul> <li>the Federal Air Marshal Service to conduct missions on regularly scheduled passenger air flights between the United States and Cuba, and</li> <li>TSA inspectors to access all areas of last point of departure airports in Cuba to assess security.</li> </ul> <p>No agreement, dated on or after January 1, 2016, to expand air flights between the United States and Cuba may be permitted until the report and audit have been submitted and the agreements have been established.</p> <p>DHS (currently, the Department of Transportation [DOT]) shall assess the effectiveness of security standards at foreign airports and take other appropriate actions for those airports not maintaining effective security measures, including requesting DOT to suspend, without notice or a hearing, the right of an air carrier or foreign air carrier to provide foreign air transportation if passenger safety or security is threatened and the public interest requires an immediate suspension. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5728 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 12, 2016 Mr. Katko (for himself, Mr. McCaul , Mr. Hudson , and Mr. Cuellar ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security , and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , 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 A BILL To prohibit scheduled passenger air transportation between the United States and Cuba until a study has been completed regarding security measures and equipment at Cuba’s airports, to amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify the role of the Secretary of Homeland Security regarding security standards at foreign airports, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cuban Airport Security Act of 2016 . 2. Flights between the United States and Cuba (a) In general The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 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) GAO audit The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an audit of the report required under subsection (a). (c) Federal Air Marshal Service The Secretary of Homeland Security shall seek to establish an agreement with the Government of Cuba allowing the Federal Air Marshal Service to conduct missions on regularly scheduled passenger air transportation between a place in the United States and a place in Cuba. (d) TSA access to Cuban last point of departure airports The Secretary of Homeland security shall seek to establish an agreement with the Government of Cuba that allows Transportation Security Administration inspectors to access all areas of last point of departure airports in Cuba for the purposes of security assessments. (e) Prohibition No agreement dated on or after January 1, 2016, to expand regularly scheduled passenger air transportation between a place in the United States and a place in Cuba may be permitted until— (1) the report and audit described in subsections (a) and (b) have been submitted; and (2) the agreements described in subsections (c) and (d) have been established. (f) Statutory construction Nothing in this section may be constructed to affect charter passenger air transportation between a place in the United States and a place in Cuba. 3. Security standards at foreign airports Section 44907 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsections (a) through (d), by striking Secretary of Transportation each place it appears and inserting Secretary of Homeland Security ; and (2) in subsection (e), in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— (A) by striking the Secretary of Transportation, with the approval of the Secretary of State and without notice or a hearing, shall and inserting at the request of the Secretary of Homeland Security and with the approval of the Secretary of State and without notice or a hearing, the Secretary of Transportation shall ; and (B) by striking when the Secretary of Transportation decides and inserting when the Secretary of Homeland Security decides .