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HR 710 114th Congress House Transportation and Public Works Administrative law and regulatory procedures Congressional oversight Department of Homeland Security Government studies and investigations Homeland security Marine and inland water transportation Performance measurement Technology assessment Transportation employees Transportation safety and security

Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act

Introduced: February 4, 2015 See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 28 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 16, 2016
Became Public Law No: 114-278.
Dec 16, 2016
Signed by President.
Dec 15, 2016
Presented to President.
Dec 13, 2016
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Dec 13, 2016
On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (consideration: CR H7585-7586; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H7585-7586)
Dec 13, 2016
Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.(consideration: CR H7585-7586; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H7585-7586)
Dec 13, 2016
Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and agree to the Senate amendment.
Dec 12, 2016
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 10, 2016
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 10, 2016
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 10, 2016
The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7146)
Dec 10, 2016
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7145-7147)
Apr 25, 2016
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 436.
Apr 25, 2016
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-244.
May 20, 2015
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Apr 22, 2015
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Apr 22, 2015
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2319)
Apr 22, 2015
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S2319)
Feb 11, 2015
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Feb 10, 2015
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Feb 10, 2015
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H899-900)
Feb 10, 2015
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H899-900)
Feb 10, 2015
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 710.
Feb 10, 2015
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H899-903)
Feb 10, 2015
Mr. Carter (GA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Feb 9, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
Feb 4, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Feb 4, 2015
Introduced in House
 Amendments to this bill 1

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 5,183 Thune, John In the nature of a substitute. Agreed to Dec 10, 2016
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on December 10, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

(Sec. 1) This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to commence actions to improve its process for vetting individuals with access to secure areas of vessels and maritime facilities.

These actions shall include:

  • conducting a comprehensive risk analysis of security threat assessment procedures, including identifying procedures that need additional internal controls as well as best practices for quality assurance at every stage of the assessment;
  • implementing such internal controls and best practices;
  • improving fraud detection techniques;
  • updating the guidance provided to Trusted Agents (Credentialing Office) regarding the vetting process and related regulations;
  • finalizing a manual for such agents and adjudicators on the vetting process; and
  • establishing quality controls to ensure consistent procedures to review adjudication decisions and terrorism vetting decisions.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall commission a national laboratory, a university-based center within the Science and Technology Directorate's centers of excellence network, or a qualified federally-funded research and development center to conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Program at enhancing security and reducing security risks for maritime facilities and vessels that pose a high risk of being involved in a transportation security incident.

The assessment shall review:

  • the credentialing process,
  • the process for renewing TWIC applications, and
  • the security value of the TWIC program.

If the assessment identifies a deficiency in effectiveness of the TWIC Program, DHS shall submit to Congress a corrective action plan that:

  • responds to assessment findings and includes an implementation plan with benchmarks, and
  • shall be considered in any DHS rulemaking with respect to the TWIC Program.

The DHS Inspector General must review and report on the corrective action plan.

What's happening now December 16, 2016

Became Public Law No: 114-278.

 Bill text 8 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Thompson, Bennie G.
Mississippi · Feb 4, 2015
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 710: To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prepare a comprehensive security assessment of the transportation security card program, and for other purposes.. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-710/
MLA
"H.R. 710: To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prepare a comprehensive security assessment of the transportation security card program, and for other purposes.." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-710/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 710, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-710/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 710: To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prepare a comprehensive security assessment of the transportation security card program, and for other purposes.](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-710/)
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