[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 720 Engrossed in House (EH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 720

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To improve intergovernmental planning for and communication during 
    security incidents at domestic airports, 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 ``Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security 
Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
        means the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security 
        (Transportation Security) of the Department of Homeland 
        Security.
            (2) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        Transportation Security Administration.

SEC. 3. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE AT AIRPORTS.

    (a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation 
with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
conduct outreach to all airports in the United States at which the 
Administration performs, or oversees the implementation and performance 
of, security measures, and provide technical assistance as necessary, 
to verify such airports have in place individualized working plans for 
responding to security incidents inside the perimeter of the airport, 
including active shooters, acts of terrorism, and incidents that target 
passenger-screening checkpoints.
    (b) Types of Plans.--Such plans may include, but may not be limited 
to, the following:
            (1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care to persons 
        inside the perimeter of the airport, with consideration given 
        to the needs of persons with disabilities.
            (2) A plan for establishing a unified command, including 
        identification of staging areas for non-airport-specific law 
        enforcement and fire response.
            (3) A schedule for regular testing of communications 
        equipment used to receive emergency calls.
            (4) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed by persons 
        inside the perimeter of the airport will reach airport police 
        in an expeditious manner.
            (5) A practiced method and plan to communicate with 
        travelers and all other persons inside the perimeter of the 
        airport.
            (6) To the extent practicable, a projected maximum 
        timeframe for law enforcement response.
            (7) A schedule of joint exercises and training to be 
        conducted by the airport, the Administration, other 
        stakeholders such as airport and airline tenants, and any 
        relevant law enforcement, airport police, fire, and medical 
        personnel.
            (8) A schedule for producing after-action joint exercise 
        reports to identify and determine how to improve security 
        incident response capabilities.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Assistant 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 the 
findings from its outreach to airports under subsection (a), including 
an analysis of the level of preparedness such airports have to respond 
to security incidents, including active shooters, acts of terrorism, 
and incidents that target passenger-screening checkpoints.

SEC. 4. DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ON BEST PRACTICES.

    The Assistant Secretary shall--
            (1) identify best practices that exist across airports for 
        security incident planning, management, and training; and
            (2) establish a mechanism through which to share such best 
        practices with other airport operators nationwide.

SEC. 5. CERTIFICATION.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall certify in writing 
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate that all screening personnel have participated in practical 
training exercises for active shooter scenarios.

SEC. 6. REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENTS.

    Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the 
Assistant Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate an analysis of how the Administration 
can use cost savings achieved through efficiencies to increase over the 
next 5 fiscal years the funding available for checkpoint screening law 
enforcement support reimbursable agreements.

SEC. 7. NO ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act, and this Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
available for such purpose.

SEC. 8. INTEROPERABILITY REVIEW.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation with the 
Assistant Secretary of the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, 
conduct a review of the interoperable communications capabilities of 
the law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel responsible for 
responding to a security incident, including active shooter events, 
acts of terrorism, and incidents that target passenger-screening 
checkpoints, at all airports in the United States at which the 
Administration performs, or oversees the implementation and performance 
of, security measures.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the completion of the 
review, the Assistant Secretary shall report the findings of the review 
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 10, 2015.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
114th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 720

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

  To improve intergovernmental planning for and communication during 
    security incidents at domestic airports, and for other purposes.