[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1893 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1893
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 21, 2021
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To direct the Transportation Security Administration to develop a
transportation security preparedness plan in the event of a
communicable disease outbreak, 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 ``Transportation Security Preparedness
Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. SURVEY OF THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION WORKFORCE
REGARDING COVID-19 RESPONSE.
(a) Survey.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration (referred to in this section as the ``Administrator''),
in consultation with the labor organization certified as the exclusive
representative of full- and part-time non-supervisory Administration
personnel carrying out screening functions under section 44901 of title
49, United States Code, shall conduct a survey of the Transportation
Security Administration (referred to in this section as the
``Administration'') workforce regarding the Administration's response
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such survey shall be conducted in a manner
that allows for the greatest practicable level of workforce
participation.
(b) Contents.--In conducting the survey required under subsection
(a), the Administrator shall solicit feedback on the following:
(1) The Administration's communication and collaboration
with the Administration's workforce regarding the
Administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts
to mitigate and monitor transmission of COVID-19 among its
workforce, including through--
(A) providing employees with personal protective
equipment and mandating its use;
(B) modifying screening procedures and
Administration operations to reduce transmission among
officers and passengers and ensuring compliance with
such changes;
(C) adjusting policies regarding scheduling, leave,
and telework;
(D) outreach as a part of contact tracing when an
employee has tested positive for COVID-19; and
(E) encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations and efforts
to assist employees that seek to be vaccinated such as
communicating the availability of duty time for travel
to vaccination sites and recovery from vaccine side
effects.
(2) Any other topic determined appropriate by the
Administrator.
(c) Report.--Not later than 30 days after completing the survey
required under subsection (a), the Administration shall provide a
report summarizing the results of the survey to the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
SEC. 3. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY PREPAREDNESS PLAN.
(a) Plan Required.--Section 114 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(x) Transportation Security Preparedness Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date
of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, acting through the Administrator, in coordination
with the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Homeland
Security and in consultation with the partners identified under
paragraphs (3)(A)(i) through (3)(A)(iv), shall develop a
transportation security preparedness plan to address the event
of a communicable disease outbreak. The Secretary, acting
through the Administrator, shall ensure such plan aligns with
relevant Federal plans and strategies for communicable disease
outbreaks.
``(2) Considerations.--In developing the plan required
under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting through the
Administrator, shall consider each of the following:
``(A) The findings of the survey required under
section 2 of the Transportation Security Preparedness
Act of 2021.
``(B) All relevant reports and recommendations
regarding the Administration's response to the COVID-19
pandemic, including any reports and recommendations
issued by the Comptroller General and the Inspector
General of the Department of Homeland Security.
``(C) Lessons learned from Federal interagency
efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
``(3) Contents of plan.--The plan developed under paragraph
(1) shall include each of the following:
``(A) Plans for communicating and collaborating in
the event of a communicable disease outbreak with the
following partners:
``(i) Appropriate Federal departments and
agencies, including the Department of Health
and Human Services, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, the Department of
Transportation, the Department of Labor, and
appropriate interagency task forces.
``(ii) The workforce of the Administration,
including through the labor organization
certified as the exclusive representative of
full- and part-time non-supervisory
Administration personnel carrying out screening
functions under section 44901 of this title.
``(iii) International partners, including
the International Civil Aviation Organization
and foreign governments, airports, and air
carriers.
``(iv) Public and private stakeholders, as
such term is defined under subsection
(t)(1)(C).
``(v) The traveling public.
``(B) Plans for protecting the safety of the
Transportation Security Administration workforce,
including--
``(i) reducing the risk of communicable
disease transmission at screening checkpoints
and within the Administration's workforce
related to the Administration's transportation
security operations and mission;
``(ii) ensuring the safety and hygiene of
screening checkpoints and other workstations;
``(iii) supporting equitable and
appropriate access to relevant vaccines,
prescriptions, and other medical care; and
``(iv) tracking rates of employee illness,
recovery, and death.
``(C) Criteria for determining the conditions that
may warrant the integration of additional actions in
the aviation screening system in response to the
communicable disease outbreak and a range of potential
roles and responsibilities that align with such
conditions.
``(D) Contingency plans for temporarily adjusting
checkpoint operations to provide for passenger and
employee safety while maintaining security during the
communicable disease outbreak.
``(E) Provisions setting forth criteria for
establishing an interagency task force or other
standing engagement platform with other appropriate
Federal departments and agencies, including the
Department of Health and Human Services and the
Department of Transportation, to address such
communicable disease outbreak.
``(F) A description of scenarios in which the
Administrator should consider exercising authorities
provided under subsection (g) and for what purposes.
``(G) Considerations for assessing the
appropriateness of issuing security directives and
emergency amendments to regulated parties in various
modes of transportation, including surface
transportation, and plans for ensuring compliance with
such measures.
``(H) A description of any potential obstacles,
including funding constraints and limitations to
authorities, that could restrict the ability of the
Administration to respond appropriately to a
communicable disease outbreak.
``(4) Dissemination.--Upon development of the plan required
under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall disseminate the
plan to the partners identified under paragraph (3)(A) and to
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate.
``(5) Review of plan.--Not later than two years after the
date on which the plan is disseminated under paragraph (4), and
biennially thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the
Administrator and in coordination with the Chief Medical
Officer of the Department of Homeland Security, shall review
the plan and, after consultation with the partners identified
under paragraphs (3)(A)(i) through (3)(A)(iv), update the plan
as appropriate.''.
(b) Comptroller General Report.--Not later than 1 year after the
date on which the transportation security preparedness plan required
under subsection (x) of section 114 of title 49, United States Code, as
added by subsection (a), is disseminated under paragraph (4) of such
subsection (x), the Comptroller General of the United States shall
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report containing the results of a study
assessing the transportation security preparedness plan, including an
analysis of--
(1) whether such plan aligns with relevant Federal plans
and strategies for communicable disease outbreaks; and
(2) the extent to which the Transportation Security
Administration is prepared to implement the plan.
Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2021.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.