[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2726 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  2d Session
                                S. 2726

To amend title 49 of the United States Code to provide flight attendant 
               security training, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 22, 2004

   Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 49 of the United States Code to provide flight attendant 
               security training, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Flight Attendant Security Training 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO CREW TRAINING PROVISIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 44918(a)(1) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Development of training program.--Not later 
                than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Flight 
                Attendant Security Training Act, the Administrator of 
                the Federal Aviation Administration, in consultation 
                with the Under Secretary of the Transportation for 
                Security, appropriate law enforcement, security, and 
                terrorism experts, representatives of air carriers, and 
                labor organizations representing individuals employed 
                in commercial aviation, shall develop detailed guidance 
                for a scheduled passenger air carrier flight and cabin 
                crew training program to prepare crew members for 
                potential threat conditions.
                    ``(B) Requirements.--The guidance issued under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
                            ``(i) Establishment of the required number 
                        of hours and qualifications for training 
                        instructors.
                            ``(ii) Establishment of the intervals, 
                        number of hours, and elements of recurrent 
                        training.''.
    (b) Program Elements.--Section 44918(a)(2) of such title is amended 
by striking subparagraph (I) and inserting the following:
                    ``(I) Training in the proper conduct of a cabin 
                search and explosive recognition, including the duty 
                time required to conduct the search.''.
    (c) Approval of Programs.--Section 44918(a) of such title is 
amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
            ``(3) Approval.--Within 60 days after the date the 
        Administrator issues the guidance under this subsection in 
        final form, each air carrier shall develop a flight and cabin 
        crew training program in accordance with that guidance and 
        submit the program to the Administrator for approval. Within 30 
        days after receiving an air carrier's program under this 
        subsection, the Administrator shall review the program and 
        approve it or require the air carrier to make any revisions 
        deemed necessary by the Administrator for the program to meet 
        the guidance requirements.''.
    (d) Training.--Section 44918 of such title is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
    ``(d) Training.--Within 180 days after the date the Administrator 
approves the training program developed by an air carrier under this 
section, the air carrier shall complete the training of all flight and 
cabin crews in accordance with that program.''.
    (e) Existing Programs and Updates.--Section 44918(a) of such title 
is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraphs (4), (5), and (7);
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (4); and
            (3) by adding after paragraph (4), as redesignated, the 
        following:
            ``(5) Updates.--The Administrator shall--
                    ``(A) update the training guidance issued under 
                this subsection from time to time to reflect new or 
                different security threats; and
                    ``(B) require air carriers to revise their programs 
                accordingly and provide additional training to their 
                flight and cabin crews.''.
    (f) Adequate Resources.--Section 44918(a) of such title, as amended 
by subsection (e), is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Necessary resources and knowledge.--The Under 
        Secretary shall ensure that employees of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration responsible for monitoring the training program 
        have the necessary resources and knowledge.''.
                                 <all>