[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5054 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5054

   To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out a pilot 
   program to evaluate the use of hardened containers for cargo and 
                     luggage on passenger aircraft.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2004

    Ms. Millender-McDonald introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out a pilot 
   program to evaluate the use of hardened containers for cargo and 
                     luggage on passenger aircraft.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hardened Containers for Air Cargo 
Security Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO EVALUATE USE OF HARDENED CONTAINERS ON 
              PASSENGER AIRCRAFT.

    (a) In General.--Beginning not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
carry out a pilot program to evaluate the use of hardened containers 
for cargo and luggage on passenger aircraft to minimize the potential 
effects of an explosive device.
    (b) Guidelines.--In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall develop guidelines for use by air carriers in determining the 
types of cargo and luggage to be placed in a hardened container on a 
passenger aircraft.
    (c) Incentive Program.--
            (1) In general.--As part of the pilot program, the 
        Secretary shall carry out an incentive program to provide 
        assistance to air carriers to test the use of hardened 
        containers for cargo and luggage on passenger aircraft.
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes of the incentive program, at a 
        minimum, shall be--
                    (A) to test the function and interaction of the 
                hardened containers with other components of the 
                aviation security system;
                    (B) to determine the quantity of hardened 
                containers required in air carrier operations;
                    (C) to identify issues in logistics and control 
                associated with use of the hardened containers and 
                their possible solutions; and
                    (D) to identify training and maintenance 
                requirements associated with use of the hardened 
                containers.
            (3) Applications.--To be eligible to participate in the 
        incentive program, an air carrier shall submit to the Secretary 
        an application that is in such form and contains such 
        information as the Secretary requires.
            (4) Types of assistance.--Assistance provided by the 
        Secretary to air carriers under the incentive program may 
        include the use of hardened containers and financial assistance 
        to cover increased costs to the carriers associated with use 
        and maintenance of the containers, including increased fuel 
        costs.
    (d) Administration by TSA.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot 
program acting through the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration.
    (e) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the 
results of the pilot program.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,700,000. Such sums shall 
remain available until expended.
                                 <all>