[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8645 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8645

    To improve airport security screening for certain veterans and 
         passengers with disabilities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 5, 2024

  Mr. Thanedar (for himself and Mr. LaLota) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in 
  addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To improve airport security screening for certain veterans and 
         passengers with disabilities, 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 ``Improved Screening for Veterans and 
Passengers with Disabilities Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO AIRPORT SECURITY SCREENING OF CERTAIN VETERANS 
              AND PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.

    (a) Separate and Distinct Training for TSOs Relating to Passengers 
With Disabilities.--Section 1950(a) of the TSA Modernization Act (49 
U.S.C. 44901 note; Public Law 115-254) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end the following 
        new sentences: ``Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this sentence, the Administrator shall ensure such 
        recurrent training is carried out as a separate and distinct 
        training for all Transportation Security Officers in addition 
        to any relevant module, component, element, or part of any 
        other training for all Transportation Security Officers, and 
        ensure such recurrent training is required for all 
        Transportation Security Officers not less often than annually. 
        Not later than 30 days after the implementation of such 
        recurrent training as a separate and distinct training for all 
        Transportation Security Officers, the Administrator shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
        certification relating thereto.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Biennial reviews.--The Administrator, in consultation 
        with nationally-recognized veterans and disabilities 
        organizations, shall biennially review and update, as 
        necessary, the curriculum for revised training requirements 
        under paragraph (1).''.
    (b) Eligibility of Passengers With Disabilities or Medical 
Conditions for Expedited Security Screening.--Section 44919 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (j), (k), and (l) as 
        subsections (k), (l), and (m), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(j) Eligibility of Passengers With Disabilities or Medical 
Conditions for Expedited Security Screening.--To the extent possible, 
the Administrator shall ensure that a passenger with a disability or 
medical condition enrolled in a trusted traveler program or otherwise 
eligible for expedited security screening is provided such screening, 
including at any security screening lane that is dedicated to screening 
passengers with disabilities or medical conditions, whether or not such 
lane is a dedicated PreCheck Program lane.''.
    (c) Eligibility of Severely Injured or Disabled Members of the 
Armed Forces and Severely Injured or Disabled Veterans for Expedited 
Security Screening.--Section 44927 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(g) PreCheck Program for Certain Severely Injured or Disabled 
Veterans.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to the limitation specified in 
        subparagraph (4), the Administrator of the Transportation 
        Security Administration shall enroll a veteran described in 
        paragraph (3) in the PreCheck Program under section 44919 at no 
        cost to such veteran who satisfies the background check and 
        other security requirements for participation in such Program.
            ``(2) Coordination.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, 
        acting through the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
        Administration, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        jointly--
                    ``(A) implement by not later than one year after 
                the date of enactment of this subsection a process to 
                verify the eligibility of a veteran described in 
                paragraph (3) and provide to such an eligible veteran 
                the benefits referred to in paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) brief the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                the Committee on Veterans Affairs of the House of 
                Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 
                and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Commerce, 
                Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on 
                Veterans Affairs of the Senate on the status of such 
                implementation and provision.
            ``(3) Eligibility.--A veteran described in this paragraph 
        is a veteran who--
                    ``(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system 
                of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and 
                operated under section 1705 of title 38, United States 
                Code;
                    ``(B) has--
                            ``(i) lost, or lost use of, a limb;
                            ``(ii) become paralyzed or partially 
                        paralyzed; or
                            ``(iii) incurred permanent blindness; and
                    ``(C) as a result of such a loss, paralysis or 
                partial paralysis, or blindness, requires the use of a 
                wheelchair, prosthetic limb, or other assistive device 
                to aid with mobility.
            ``(4) Limitation.--The Administrator of the Transportation 
        Security Administration shall carry out this subsection subject 
        to the availability of appropriations and may not increase fees 
        for enrollment in the PreCheck Program for such purpose.
    ``(h) Outreach for Severely Injured or Disabled Veterans.--
            ``(1) Coordination.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, 
        acting through the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
        Administration, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        carry out targeted outreach to severely injured or disabled 
        veterans regarding how to access Transportation Security 
        Administration programs designed to improve the screening 
        process for severely injured and disabled passengers.
            ``(2) Engagement with severely injured or disabled veterans 
        stakeholders.--Notwithstanding subchapter I of chapter 35 of 
        title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to as the 
        `Paperwork Reduction Act'), or any other provision of law, the 
        Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the 
        Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in 
        coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall--
                    ``(A) engage with nationally-recognized veterans 
                and disabilities organizations to assess the awareness 
                of veterans of relevant Transportation Security 
                Administration programs; and
                    ``(B) examine the need and feasibility of other 
                measures to improve security screening procedures for 
                severely injured and disabled veterans.
            ``(3) Briefing requirement.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security, acting through the Administrator of the 
        Transportation Security Administration, and the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall jointly provide to the Committee on 
        Homeland Security and the Committee on Veterans Affairs of the 
        House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 
        and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
        and Transportation, and the Committee on Veterans Affairs of 
        the Senate a briefing on the status of the implementation of 
        this subsection.''.
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