[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 720 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 720
To improve intergovernmental planning for and communication during
security incidents at domestic airports, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 4, 2015
Mr. Katko (for himself, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Thompson
of Mississippi, Mr. Hudson, Mrs. Torres, Ms. Brownley of California,
and Ms. Maxine Waters of California) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
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