[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 126 (Wednesday, August 5, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6422-S6423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             GERARDO HERNANDEZ AIRPORT SECURITY ACT OF 2015

  Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 163, H.R. 720.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 720) to improve intergovernmental planning for 
     and communication during security incidents at domestic 
     airports, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     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.

[[Page S6423]]

  


     SEC. 3. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE AT AIRPORTS.

       (a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall, in 
     consultation with other Federal agencies as appropriate, 
     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 to active shooters, 
     acts of terrorism, and incidents that target passenger 
     security-screening checkpoints.
       (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.
       (9) A strategy, where feasible, for providing airport law 
     enforcement with access to airport security video 
     surveillance systems at category X airports where those 
     systems were purchased and installed using Administration 
     funds.
       (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 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. SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION 
                   SYSTEMS.

       (a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, and other 
     relevant agencies, conduct outreach to all passenger 
     transportation agencies and providers with high-risk 
     facilities, as identified by the Assistant Secretary, to 
     verify such agencies and providers have in place plans to 
     respond to active shooters, acts of terrorism, or other 
     security-related incidents that target passengers.
       (b) Types of Plans.--As applicable, such plans may include, 
     but may not be limited to, the following:
       (1) A strategy for evacuating and providing care to 
     individuals, with consideration given to the needs of persons 
     with disabilities.
       (2) A plan for establishing a unified command.
       (3) A plan for frontline employees to receive active 
     shooter training.
       (4) A schedule for regular testing of communications 
     equipment used to receive emergency calls.
       (5) An evaluation of how emergency calls placed by 
     individuals using the transportation system will reach police 
     in an expeditious manner.
       (6) A practiced method and plan to communicate with 
     individuals using the transportation system.
       (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of 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 the agencies and providers under subsection (a), 
     including an analysis of the level of preparedness such 
     transportation systems have to respond to security incidents.
       (d) Dissemination of Best Practices.--The Assistant 
     Secretary shall identify best practices for security incident 
     planning, management, and training and establish a mechanism 
     through which to share such practices with passenger 
     transportation agencies nationwide.

     SEC. 8. 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. 9. 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.

  Mr. GARDNER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
substitute be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and 
passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid 
upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed, and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill was read the third time.
  The bill (H.R. 720), as amended, was passed.

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