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Airport Security Enhancement and Oversight Act

Introduced: December 7, 2015 Introduced by: Thune, John Republican · South Dakota See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 7, 2016
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 382.
Mar 7, 2016
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-222.
Dec 9, 2015
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Dec 7, 2015
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Dec 7, 2015
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Airport Security Enhancement and Oversight Act

This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assess the level of risk posed to the domestic air transportation system by individuals with unescorted access to a secure area of an airport.

The TSA shall:

  • update DHS rules on access controls, and
  • issue guidance to airport operators for placing expiration dates on each airport credential issued to a non-U.S. citizen.

The TSA shall also revise certain regulations to enhance the eligibility requirements and disqualifying criminal offenses for individuals seeking or having unescorted access to an airport's Secure Identification Display Area (SIDA).

Both the TSA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall implement fully the FBI's Rap Back service for recurrent criminal history vetting of eligible TSA-regulated populations of individuals with unescorted access to any airport SIDA.

The TSA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall ensure that the TSA may receive automated, real-time access to additional Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) data and any other terrorism related category codes to improve the TSA credential vetting program.

DHS shall authorize direct access for each airport operator to the E-Verify program and the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) automated system to determine the eligibility of individuals seeking unescorted access to an airport SIDA.

The TSA shall develop performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of security for airport SIDAs, as well as a model and best practices for unescorted access security meeting specified criteria.

The TSA shall also:

  • expand the use of TSA officers and inspectors to conduct physical inspections of airport workers in each airport SIDA and at each SIDA access point, and
  • review airports that have implemented additional airport worker screening or perimeter security.

The TSA may conduct a pilot program to test and validate best practices for comprehensive airport worker screening or perimeter security.

The TSA shall:

  • increase the use of red-team, covert testing of access controls to any secure airport areas; and
  • review every current security directive addressed to any regulated entity.
What's happening now March 7, 2016

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 382.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 2 Republican 1