[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2044 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2044

                     To improve air cargo security.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 3, 2005

 Mr. Markey (for himself and Mr. Shays) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                     To improve air cargo security.

    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 Air Cargo Security Act.

SEC. 2. INSPECTION OF CARGO CARRIED ABOARD AIRCRAFT.

    Section 44901 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections ``(g)'' and ``(h)'' as 
        subsections ``(h)'' and ``(i)'', respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
    ``(g) Air Cargo on Aircraft.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        establish systems to inspect cargo to ensure the security of 
        all such cargo transported in aircraft operated by an air 
        carrier or foreign air carrier in air transportation or 
        intrastate air transportation. Such systems shall use 
        equipment, technology, and personnel to inspect cargo that, at 
        a minimum, meet the same standards established to inspect 
        passenger baggage.
            ``(2) Implementation plan.--The Secretary shall develop an 
        implementation plan to carry out paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Research and development of new technologies.--The 
        Secretary shall monitor and evaluate the research and 
        development of effective cargo screening technologies.''.

SEC. 3. AIR CARGO SHIPPING.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 449 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 44922. Regular inspections of air cargo shipping facilities
    ``(a) Regular Inspections.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
of enactment of the Air Cargo Security Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall--
            ``(1) establish a system for the regular inspection of 
        shipping facilities for shipments of cargo transported in air 
        transportation or intrastate air transportation to ensure that 
        appropriate security controls, systems, and protocols are 
        observed; and
            ``(2) enter into arrangements with the civil aviation 
        authorities, or other appropriate officials, of foreign 
        countries to ensure that inspections are conducted on a regular 
        basis at shipping facilities for cargo transported in air 
        transportation to the United States.
    ``(b) Reports.--Not later than 210 days after the date of enactment 
of the Air Cargo Security Act and each year thereafter, the Secretary 
shall transmit to Congress a report that states--
            ``(1) the number of shipping facilities that have been 
        inspected;
            ``(2) the number of facilities that are not in compliance 
        with appropriate security controls, systems, and protocols;
            ``(3) specific consequences imposed for a facility not in 
        compliance as determined by the Secretary; and
            ``(4) the number of arrangements entered into with civilian 
        authorities, other appropriate officials, of foreign countries 
        to ensure regular inspections are conducted for cargo 
        transported in air transportation to the United States.''.
    (b) Additional Inspectors.--The Secretary may increase the number 
of inspectors as necessary to implement the requirements of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by this Act.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter 449 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``44922. Regular inspections of air cargo shipping facilities.''.

SEC. 4. TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CARGO HANDLERS.

    The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish a training and 
evaluation program for any persons that handle air cargo to ensure that 
the cargo is properly handled and safeguarded from security breaches.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    Except as otherwise provided, this Act and the amendments made in 
this Act shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.
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