[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 103 (Thursday, June 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S3010]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            VETERANS EXPEDITED TSA SCREENING SAFE TRAVEL ACT

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be discharged from further 
consideration of S. 2280, and the Senate proceed to its immediate 
consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2280) to provide PreCheck to certain severely 
     injured or disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. CARPER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered 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 bill (S. 2280) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed as follows:

                                S. 2280

       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 ``Veterans Expedited TSA 
     Screening Safe Travel Act'' or the ``VETS Safe Travel Act''.

     SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF PRECHECK PROGRAM TO CERTAIN SEVERELY 
                   INJURED OR DISABLED VETERANS.

       (a) In General.--Section 44927 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(g) Availability of PreCheck Program to Certain Severely 
     Injured or Disabled Veterans.--
       ``(1) In general.--A veteran described in paragraph (2) is 
     eligible for security screening under the PreCheck Program 
     under section 44919 at no cost to the veteran if the veteran 
     is able to meet the background check and other security 
     requirements for participation in the program.
       ``(2) Veterans described.--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 a loss, paralyzation or partial 
     paralyzation, or blindness described in subparagraph (B), 
     requires the use of a wheelchair, prosthetic limb, or other 
     assistive device to aid with mobility.''.
       (b) Coordination on Implementation.--The Administrator of 
     the Transportation Security Administration and the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs shall jointly--
       (1) develop and implement a process under which a veteran 
     described in paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of section 44927 
     of title 49, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), 
     can receive the benefits under such subsection by not later 
     than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act; 
     and
       (2) provide to Congress a briefing on the status of 
     implementing the process required by paragraph (1) by not 
     later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act.

     SEC. 3. OUTREACH FOR DISABLED VETERANS ON AVAILABILITY OF 
                   TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 
                   PROGRAMS.

       (a) Coordination.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and 
     the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
     Administration shall develop and implement a process under 
     which the Secretary provides to disabled veterans effective 
     outreach about Transportation Security Administration 
     programs designed to improve the screening process for 
     passengers with disabilities.
       (b) Further Enhancements to Ease Air Travel for Wounded 
     Warriors and Other Disabled Veterans.--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 Veterans 
     Affairs, in coordination with the Administrator of the 
     Transportation Security Administration, shall--
       (1) engage appropriate veterans service organizations and 
     other relevant organizations, as appropriate, to assess the 
     awareness of veterans of relevant Transportation Security 
     Administration programs; and
       (2) examine the need and feasibility of other measures to 
     improve travel security procedures for disabled veterans.
       (c) Briefing Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs and the Administrator of Transportation 
     Security Administration shall jointly provide to Congress a 
     briefing on the status of the implementation of subsections 
     (a) and (b).

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