113 HR 1455 IH: Contract Screener Reform and Accountability Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2013-04-10
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Contract Screener Reform and
Accountability Act
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Title I—Reform
Sec. 101. Prohibition of screening by subsidiary of a
foreign-owned corporation.
Sec. 102. Competition for private screening
contracts.
Sec. 103. Prohibition on certain subcontracting.
Sec. 104. Flexibility in approving airport operator
applications.
Sec. 105. Enhanced standards for application
assessments.
Sec. 106. Timeline for awarding a contract for screening
services.
Sec. 107. Prohibition on bonuses and other awards.
Sec. 108. Cost analysis.
Sec. 109. Customer service.
Sec. 110. Information on transition plans.
Title II—Oversight
Sec. 201. Enhanced oversight.
Sec. 202. Security breaches.
Sec. 203. Covert testing of contract screener
performance.
Sec. 204. Contracting prohibition for compromising covert
security testing.
Sec. 205. Proper handling of sensitive security
information.
Title III—Workforce Protections
Sec. 301. Job and benefit protections.
Sec. 302. Retention and discipline.
Sec. 303. Protections for reporting deficiencies, waste, or
vulnerabilities.
<enum>I</enum><header>Reform</header>
<section id="H1350A51D58BD41868B23BC91FD7F7473"><enum>101.</enum><header>Prohibition of
screening by subsidiary of a foreign-owned corporation</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (d) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">section 44920</external-xref> of title 49,
United States Code, is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H2BE52825F06B439DAD78E245BAEEC7D8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
<quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC"><enum-in-header>(d)</enum-in-header></header-in-text></quote> and
all that follows through <quote>The Under Secretary may enter</quote> and
inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDA342DAAC6CC4A58A8BB4950291A6AC8" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H207D3577BEBC450D9E5C9A64C117370C"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Standards for
private screening companies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Under Secretary may
enter</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H668C4AB065C54546BA2D2C46227D0E7C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating
subparagraphs (A) and (B) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, and moving
such paragraphs two ems to the left; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H07804B880EB74EC5BD555B3C64F19031"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking
paragraph (2).</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="HBF6AE8E03D5A4A81B254E73FD75BB61C"><enum>102.</enum><header>Competition for
private screening contracts</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">Section 44920</external-xref> of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by striking subsection (h).</text>
</section><section commented="no" id="H5C5F930E24C84FC3AA8F3391A5A0DEB4"><enum>103.</enum><header>Prohibition on
certain subcontracting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
44920 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 102 of this Act,
is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAE2B881AC83640329668A2231D03F69D" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" id="HFE770A3D1C434D39A8C7E1464D883CEB"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Prohibition on
certain subcontracting</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The
Under Secretary is prohibited from entering into any contract for screening
services under this section that would allow for the screening services to be
performed by a
subcontractor.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HCB61815E968542BDB78AC14878FE036C"><enum>104.</enum><header>Flexibility in
approving airport operator applications</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Paragraph (2) of section 44920(b) of title
49, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>shall</quote> and
inserting <quote>may</quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HF918C9A8A1424572A04A5B377AA19D3A"><enum>105.</enum><header>Enhanced
standards for application assessments</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Paragraph (2) of section 44920(b) of title
49, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the period at the end
the following: <quote>and at airports nationwide</quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HB3A390F6479C429D9065472C1FF6C8D5"><enum>106.</enum><header>Timeline for
awarding a contract for screening services</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">section 44920</external-xref> of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE81BE67E58A54CFB8523E11125D0165D" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H5BEFF4D97E794A8A9717A789582445C9"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Timeline for
awarding a contract for screening services</header>
<subparagraph id="HC0961C2E4765495B82A0F08AAF400718"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 270
days after approving an application under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary
shall award a contract to a qualified private screening company in accordance
with subsections (c) and (d).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCF341FE602974E05891B63A5AFCB1894"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Notification</header><text>If
the Under Secretary is unable to make an award in accordance with subparagraph
(A), the Under Secretary shall notify the airport operator that submitted the
application at issue of the determination and the basis for such determination,
and about eligibility for reapplication in accordance with subsection
(a).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H6C79749D5F1347CBBB44CEC567B619AC"><enum>107.</enum><header>Prohibition on
bonuses and other awards</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">Section 44920</external-xref> of title 49, United States
Code, as amended by section 105 of this Act, is further amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0D7BBACDDDB94FAAB7260CAB5D29AD77" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H6D491E8E965E42549C6C8D808F3D47E8"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Prohibition on
bonuses and other awards</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The
Under Secretary is prohibited from providing funding to any private screening
company that provides screening services at an airport in excess of the amount
required for the performance of such screening
services.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HD178C32D8A264749B1B676D687285279"><enum>108.</enum><header>Cost
analysis</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 44920 of
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 107 of this Act, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF859861B996E4DFEB0E90099AC7F35A9" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HFB617D7D4E864045B3EC923CA3EFE19F"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Cost
analysis</header>
<paragraph id="H1137972F10024437AF4FF60603816809"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Comptroller
General shall provide to the Under Secretary guidance on how to conduct an
analysis of the total annual cost incurred by the Federal Government with
respect to screening services provided by private screening companies.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HAF6FCD1C2F3F4F3C883D61A57CC1EACA"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Action</header><text>Not
later than 180 days after receipt of the guidance described in paragraph (1)
and annually thereafter, the Under Secretary shall utilize such guidance to
identify costs incurred by the Federal Government as a result of overseeing the
performance of private screening companies, compared with costs incurred by the
Under Secretary at airports that utilize Federal Government personnel for
passenger and baggage
screening.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HE9B8B7E3815C425FBBA225F87DB6CDE8"><enum>109.</enum><header>Customer
service</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 44920 of title
49, United States Code, as amended by section 108 of this Act, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBDBB3734E8624831B416D203EFBD21CF" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H00AAD56AF4564C64BB2C8404AD63E856"><enum>(k)</enum><header>Customer
service</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each airport operator
utilizing contract passenger and baggage screeners employed by a private
screening company shall prominently display signs in the immediate vicinity of
the passenger screening area notifying the flying public that passenger and
baggage screening at that airport is conducted by contract screening personnel
and not by Federal Government personnel. Such signs shall also display a
contact number and Internet website address maintained by such private
screening company for a passenger to report complaints about his or her
screening experience. Each private screening company with a contract for
screening services at an airport shall track all such passenger complaints and
regularly report such information to the Under Secretary through, to the
maximum extent practicable, the contracting officer of each such private
screening company. The Under Secretary shall report such information to the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate upon
request.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H5E06A84367644F45B45C3EE11615C9C1"><enum>110.</enum><header>Information on
transition plans</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection
(b) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">section 44920</external-xref> of title 49, United States Code, as amended by section
106, is further amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB449F4AB26AB42A3AEDCE10A703966EA" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H618DABF536CA4454BB6EE122019A2F40"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Transition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 90 days after an airport
operator provides notice to the Under Secretary of the decision of such airport
operator to discontinue the use of screening personnel of a qualified private
screening company and use Transportation Security Officers for screening
services at the airport operated by such airport operator, the Under Secretary
shall provide such airport operator with information on how the Under Secretary
intends to carry out the transition of screening services, including an
anticipated timeline and key
benchmarks.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Oversight</header>
<section id="H5305190D81204E388C74ED7F473C379F"><enum>201.</enum><header>Enhanced
oversight</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 44920 of
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 109 of this Act, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H21630135A19146E7A60F481FCB44F81C" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H02BCF5491F3D412BABE796ACFA9779C9"><enum>(l)</enum><header>Enhanced
oversight</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Under Secretary
shall develop and implement a system to be carried out, to the maximum extent
practicable, by the contracting officer who oversees each respective private
screening company providing screening services at an airport, to enhance
monitoring of performance of each such private screening company. The system
shall, at a minimum, provide year-to-year information about performance by each
such private screening company, and be in a format to provide for comparison
with airports in the same category whose screening services are provided by
Federal Government personnel with respect to detection rates of threats and
threat image tests, recertification pass rates, covert performance assessments,
and evaluations used to assess screener performance on various elements that
may affect security and a passenger’s overall travel
experience.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HC813B88FB4544CCEAD339FB99F8C29D8"><enum>202.</enum><header>Security
breaches</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 44920 of
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 201 of this Act, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H582A1D8770AD4116BC536DAC490A8DFC" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H9D22644E6B6E46A0BACF8D1FB2D46281"><enum>(m)</enum><header>Security
breaches</header>
<paragraph id="H4EB6D6BBF88A4B9D991ECEE1CEAEC0AC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A private screening
company shall regularly report to the Under Secretary each security breach at
an airport where baggage and passenger screening is conducted by such a private
screening company. Each such report shall include—</text>
<subparagraph id="H58E5CBCFDDC64C60831850BE0CE13537"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a detailed description of each security
breach;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD447523C759647F0BC77CD3927D04EE9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>information
regarding where each such breach occurred;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H588D42ABCCD44984B291FC4C4894B026"><enum>(C)</enum><text>information
regarding law enforcement notification and response; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC8CC2F18A14942C089E2962E548320C1"><enum>(D)</enum><text>any corrective
action taken in response to each such breach.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H7A6663C6519B4D7A87D6A7F77D8D4D16"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Annual
reports</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Under Secretary
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 annual report containing the information required pursuant to
paragraph (1), including the definition of <quote>security breach</quote> used
by the Under Secretary for purposes of this subsection. To the extent
practicable, the report shall be presented in a non-classified format with a
classified appendix where
necessary.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H2022D6C9BEAE4FF8AA8599550F5B21E9"><enum>203.</enum><header>Covert testing
of contract screener performance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">Section 44920</external-xref> of title 49, United States
Code, as amended by section 202 of this Act, is further amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H79F4E9CF1B804C52989E82B81CC9EB6D" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H197AAE9D4E2E44AABCEAAE3461E5C485"><enum>(n)</enum><header>Covert
testing</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Comptroller
General of the United States shall conduct annual covert testing of airports
where private screening companies provide screening services. To the extent
practicable, such covert testing shall be conducted at one airport with
contract screener personnel within each airport category that was not the
subject of covert testing by another Federal entity during the same year. The
Comptroller General shall submit to the Under Secretary and to the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that contains the
results of such covert testing. To the extent practicable, each such report
shall be presented in a non-classified format with a classified appendix where
necessary.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HB7556F0D213C460B8D6C30CFEB118038"><enum>204.</enum><header>Contracting
prohibition for compromising covert security testing</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (d) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">section 44920</external-xref> of title 49,
United States Code, as amended by section 101 of this Act is further
amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H1D115F9B580A4430B9937794C9A597E2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1),
by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H31D46B721E3E40AFB3ABA31895E1AFA5"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2),
by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5D1190D127044B14A1B47673B2295EB2"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H580BC3EC1C5142B5BD697DE2F5DD968B" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H9D6E29934A044E92ABF981CFABA3ACF0"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">on or after the date of the enactment of
this paragraph, neither the private screening company, nor its parent company,
if applicable, has compromised any covert security testing by notifying
individuals employed by such private screening company that such covert testing
was occurring, or otherwise been found to have knowingly compromised covert
testing conducted pursuant to subsection (n) or any other covert test conducted
by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, the
Comptroller General of the United States, or the Under
Secretary.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="H9B8121F6BA99409BA3BD428AC67616DE"><enum>205.</enum><header>Proper handling
of sensitive security information</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">Section 44920</external-xref> of title 49, United States
Code, as amended by section 203 of this Act, is further amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF17001EB3810438F88FBFC1750F4CED0" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H7C7F4A9D084843EF8E13F12305A5A33B"><enum>(o)</enum><header>Proper handling
of sensitive security information</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Under Secretary shall require each
private screening company that provides screening services at airports to
provide all individuals employed by such private screening company with annual
training for the proper handling of all sensitive information, including
sensitive security
information.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><enum>III</enum><header>Workforce
Protections</header>
<section id="HE231BE83CF9F4FFA842CBD6187EE68A6"><enum>301.</enum><header>Job and benefit
protections</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (c) of
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/44920">section 44920</external-xref> of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H02C79D3A85EE4BC9B58843328E79DDEA" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HD953142DE6C04F139B3151FCC9CD42D6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Qualified
private screening company</header>
<paragraph id="HE91DA20599FD48478F0D11EC64965E01"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Beginning on the date
of the enactment of this subsection, a private screening company is qualified
to provide screening services at an airport under this section if the company
will only employ individuals to provide such services who meet all the
requirements of this chapter applicable to Federal Government personnel who
perform screening services at airports under this chapter, will provide the
right of first refusal to existing Federal Government personnel, and presume
that the personnel who perform screening services at airports and are in good
standing are qualified under this subsection, and will offer such individuals
employment with compensation and other benefits that is equal to or greater
than the level of compensation and other benefits that such individuals were
provided by the Federal Government at the time the contract was awarded.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBF014B3343C84762B9698B18B01CD781"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Rule of
construction</header><text>Nothing in this subsection may be construed to
require any private screening company that is a qualified private screening
company as of the date that is one day before the date of the enactment of this
subsection to implement paragraph (1) with respect to any contract that was
entered into with the Under Secretary before the date of the enactment of this
subsection.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" id="HA96DE50EF0AB48B1A410DA4DD46C0C22"><enum>302.</enum><header>Retention and
discipline</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 44920 of
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 205 of this Act, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC9AB2680928045BF94F3FD4FB38212BB" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" id="H32D9A1638B2B4D53BB613BD3FAC66A1D"><enum>(p)</enum><header>Retention and
discipline</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each private
screening company with a contract for screening services under this section
that provides screening services at an airport under this section shall, on a
monthly basis, provide the Under Secretary with information on retention rates
of screeners and supervisory personnel employed by each such private screening
company at each such airport, and a detailed description of adverse employment
actions taken against any of such screeners or supervisory personnel at each
such airport. The Under Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate, upon request by either of such
Committees, a report containing the information required under this
subsection.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" id="H4C0BA1516D5F4C1C8314114ACB5CBA4C"><enum>303.</enum><header>Protections for
reporting deficiencies, waste, or vulnerabilities</header>
<subsection id="H99E9CAD2A5364BFFB6CF9281889A1CB0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 44920 of
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 302 of this Act, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8E979969A1DD4372944860A7D0E70E40" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" id="HB4DD64EA4DDD43379C22B69AD7713EF6"><enum>(q)</enum><header>Protections for
reporting deficiencies</header>
<paragraph commented="no" id="HB12098C47241429AA8D167FF9D167958"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 90
days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Under Secretary
shall establish a process by which any person may submit to the Under Secretary
a report regarding problems, deficiencies, waste, or vulnerabilities with
respect to screening services provided at an airport where such services are
provided by a private screening company.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H1CA6AEC06B5F41B68C24FE0C75611A71"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Confidentiality</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Under Secretary shall keep confidential
the identity of a person who submits a report under paragraph (1), and any such
report shall be treated as protected information.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H313D43A4A94D42BE9CE3FC1B4080D684"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Acknowledgment
of receipt</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a report
submitted under paragraph (1) identifies the person submitting such report, the
Under Secretary shall respond promptly to such person to acknowledge receipt of
such report.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H56407D665830411BACE45D9E43A6A273"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Steps to address
problems</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Under Secretary
shall review and consider the information provided in any report submitted
under paragraph (1) and shall, as necessary, take appropriate steps under this
title to address any problem, deficiency, waste, or vulnerability identified in
such report.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H08988F42A1FF4B408236AA32463B3C1E"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Retaliation
prohibited</header>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="H23D1DEA725FA49ECB47524A8853F8D99"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No private screening company may discharge
any employee or otherwise discriminate against any employee with respect to
such employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, or other privileges of
employment because such employee (or any person acting pursuant to a request of
such employee)—</text>
<clause commented="no" id="H7F0B6B531A7F4674AE75A57D7504A333"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">notified the Under Secretary of any
problem, deficiency, waste, or vulnerability;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H1FD2995ECBDA4960A32720951D34CB67"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>refused to engage
in any practice made unlawful by this title, if such employee has identified
the alleged illegality to such employer;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="HC7A9F2E4DE8147B3ACA63B31BA47A7FF"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>testified before
or otherwise provided information relevant for Congress or for any Federal or
State proceeding regarding any provision (or proposed provision) of this
title;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H3558B7B3C84346F780AA2F7997AC7ED8"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>commenced, caused
to be commenced, or is about to commence or cause to be commenced a proceeding
under this title;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H01B51488DF6A464B9C1B60864E720E36"><enum>(v)</enum><text>testified or is
about to testify in any such proceeding; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H56B739588DBB4010AAAF663EACB6E348"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>assisted or
participated or is about to assist or participate in any manner in such a
proceeding or in any other manner in such a proceeding or in any other action
to carry out the purposes of this title.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HB9311F3A042F4C6AAE815277D65C75B4"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Suspension</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Under Secretary determines that any
private screening company has engaged in retaliation in violation of
subparagraph (A), the Under Secretary shall suspend the contract of such
private screening company to provide screening
services.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H38B612B2CD444DDFB98CF0C237A55F54"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Rule of
construction</header><text>Nothing in subsection (q) of section 44920 of title
49, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section, may be
construed as in any manner affecting any other provision of law relating to
protections for the reporting of problems, deficiencies, waste, or
vulnerabilities, including protections against retaliation related
thereto.</text>
</subsection></section>