113 S697 IS: Contract Screener Reform and Accountability Act
U.S. Senate
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 on screening by subsidiaries of
foreign-owned corporations.
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 on
screening by subsidiaries of foreign-owned corporations</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="H07804B880EB74EC5BD555B3C64F19031"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking
paragraph (2); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H668C4AB065C54546BA2D2C46227D0E7C"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by redesignating
subparagraphs (A) and (B) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, and moving
such paragraphs, as so redesignated, two ems to the left.</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 103 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 the <short-title>Contract Screener Reform and Accountability
Act</short-title>, the Comptroller General of the United States 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>
<paragraph id="id3CDE9C6F793541528B917028E4BD24EA"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Notification to
public</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The operator of each
airport at which a private screening company provides screening services under
this section shall prominently display signs in the immediate vicinity of the
passenger screening area notifying the flying public that passenger and baggage
screening at the 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 the passenger's screening
experience.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idE6A1AB6FE3C94B28AB2BF18ACD7E6C7B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Tracking and
reporting of complaints</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each
private screening company that provides screening services at an airport under
this section shall track all passenger complaints made under paragraph (1) and
regularly report on those complaints to the Under Secretary through, to the
maximum extent practicable, the contracting officer of the private screening
company. The Under Secretary shall report to the Committee on Homeland Security
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate on those complaints upon
request.</text>
</paragraph></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 the airport
operator to discontinue the use of screening personnel of a qualified private
screening company at an airport and use Federal Government personnel for
screening services at the airport, the Under Secretary shall provide the
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 the <short-title>Contract Screener Reform and Accountability
Act</short-title>, 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 under this section, 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 where 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 that provides screening services at an airport under this section shall
report to the Under Secretary each security breach at that airport. Each such
report shall include—</text>
<subparagraph id="H58E5CBCFDDC64C60831850BE0CE13537"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a detailed description of the security
breach;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD447523C759647F0BC77CD3927D04EE9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>information
regarding where the breach occurred;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H588D42ABCCD44984B291FC4C4894B026"><enum>(C)</enum><text>information
regarding law enforcement notification of and response to the breach;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC8CC2F18A14942C089E2962E548320C1"><enum>(D)</enum><text>any corrective
action taken in response to the 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 on security breaches
required to be submitted to the Under Secretary 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 submitted in unclassified form with a classified appendix if
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>
<paragraph id="id2A8B2CA465E14DB4AD0C6D610DCF9B80"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</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 under this
section. 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.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idD9CC6BB2B1884B919211BB91017C9AB0"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Report
required</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">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
covert testing conducted under paragraph (1). To the extent practicable, each
such report shall be submitted in unclassified form with a classified appendix
if
necessary.</text>
</paragraph></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
the <short-title>Contract Screener Reform and
Accountability Act</short-title>, neither the private screening company, nor
its parent company, if applicable, has compromised any covert security testing
by notifying individuals employed by the private screening company that the
covert testing was occurring, or has otherwise been found to have knowingly
compromised covert testing conducted pursuant to subsection (n) or any other
covert testing 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 an airport under
this section to provide all individuals employed by the 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 the <short-title>Contract Screener
Reform and Accountability Act</short-title>, a private screening company is
qualified to provide screening services at an airport under this section if the
private screening company will—</text>
<subparagraph id="id7195E853DC09438DB5178421B75453BB"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">employ only 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;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id48BE005C0DB34920B785E3722E04F1B4"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">provide the right of first refusal to the
Federal Government personnel who performed screening services at the airport
before the contract to provide screening services at the airport was awarded to
the private screening company;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC79338D95ACF45FCBD497249970F74B0"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">presume that personnel described in
subparagraph (B) who are in good standing are qualified under this subsection;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idE6E2D7D5130F4F75866CCDBD2FC75671"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">offer such individuals employment with
compensation and other benefits that are equal to or greater than the level of
compensation and other benefits that such personnel were provided by the
Federal Government at the time the contract to provide screening services at
the airport was awarded to the private screening company.</text>
</subparagraph></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 the
<short-title>Contract Screener Reform and Accountability
Act</short-title> to implement paragraph (1) with respect to any contract that
was entered into with the Under Secretary before such date of
enactment.</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>
<paragraph commented="no" id="id97B9AAC3CEA7419E8CC16B968D8883F3"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each private
screening company 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 the
private screening company at that airport, and a detailed description of
adverse employment actions taken against any of such screeners or supervisory
personnel.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id46E21426D89642959A0851809BBAC2B1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Report
required</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, upon request by either such Committee, a report containing the
information required to be provided to the Under Secretary under paragraph
(1).</text>
</paragraph></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 the <short-title>Contract Screener Reform and Accountability
Act</short-title>, 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 under this section.</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 the report, the
Under Secretary shall respond promptly to the person to acknowledge receipt of
the 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 the
employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, or other privileges of employment
because the employee (or any person acting pursuant to a request of the
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 with respect to screening services
provided by the private screening company;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H1FD2995ECBDA4960A32720951D34CB67"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>refused to engage
in any practice made unlawful by this title, if the employee has notified the
private screening company of the alleged illegality;</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 in or is about to assist or participate in any 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 of
contract</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 the private screening company to provide screening services
under this
section.</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 to such
reporting.</text>
</subsection></section>