Universal Screening of Air Cargo Act

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2455 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2455

To improve air cargo security.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 12, 2003

Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Shays, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Thompson of
Mississippi, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Andrews, Mrs. Lowey, and
Mr. Etheridge) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To improve air cargo security.

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 ``Universal Screening of Air Cargo
Act''.

SEC. 2. INSPECTION OF CARGO CARRIED ABOARD PASSENGER AIRCRAFT.

Section 44901 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections ``(g)'' and ``(h)'' as
subsections ``(h)'' and ``(i)'', respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(g) Air Cargo on Passenger Aircraft.--
``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary of Border and
Transportation Security of the Department of Homeland Security
shall establish systems to screen or inspect to ensure the
security of all cargo that is to be transported in passenger
aircraft operated by an air carrier or foreign air carrier in
air transportation or intrastate air transportation. Such
systems shall use equipment, technology, and personnel to
screen and inspect cargo that meet the same standards
established to screen passenger baggage.
``(2) Implementation plan.--The Under Secretary shall--
``(A) develop an implementation plan to carry out
paragraph (1); and
``(B) establish a fee schedule for shippers to
cover costs associated with carrying out paragraph (1)
that is similar to the security service fee imposed on
passengers under section 44940.
``(3) Research and development of new technologies.--The
Under Secretary shall monitor and evaluate the research and
development of effective cargo screening technologies.''.

SEC. 3. AIR CARGO SHIPPING.

(a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 449 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 44922. Regular inspections of air cargo shipping facilities
``The Under Secretary of Border and Transportation Security of the
Department of Homeland Security shall establish a system for the
regular inspection of shipping facilities for shipments of cargo
transported in air transportation or intrastate air transportation to
ensure that appropriate security controls, systems, and protocols are
observed, and shall enter into arrangements with the civil aviation
authorities, or other appropriate officials, of foreign countries to
ensure that inspections are conducted on a regular basis at shipping
facilities for cargo transported in air transportation to the United
States.''.
(b) Additional Inspectors.--The Under Secretary of Border and
Transportation Security of the Department of Homeland Security may
increase the number of inspectors as necessary to implement the
requirements of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter 449 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:

``44922. Regular inspections of air cargo shipping facilities.''.

SEC. 4. TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CARGO HANDLERS.

The Under Secretary of Border and Transportation Security of the
Department of Homeland Security shall establish a training and
evaluation program for any persons that handle air cargo to ensure that
the cargo is properly handled and safeguarded from security breaches.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act and the amendments made this Act shall take effect on
November 27, 2003 (Thanksgiving Day), or 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, whichever is later.
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