,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dagf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #ca1 #bjag,mr4 ,thompson of ,mississippi 7for himself and ,mrs4 ,watson ,coleman7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security ,a ,,bill ,to strengthen air cargo security1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,air ,cargo ,security ,improvement ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,establishment of air cargo security office 7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,,ii of chapter #ddi of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #ddidg4 ,air cargo security office 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration shall establish an air cargo security office to carry out all policy and engagement with air cargo security stakeholders4 7b7 ,leadership2 ,staffing ,the air cargo security office established pursuant to subsection 7a7 shall be headed by an individual in the ,senior ,executive ,service and be staffed by not fewer than four full-time equivalents1 including the head of the office4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #ddi of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after the item related to section #ddidf the following new item3 #ddidg4 ,air cargo security office4 4 #c4 ,pilot program for air cargo computed tomography 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration1 in coordination with the ,under ,secretary for ,science and ,technology of the ,department of ,homeland ,security1 shall conduct a pilot program to test the expanded use of screening equipment using computed tomography technology to screen air cargo on passenger-carrying aircraft4 ,such program shall conclude not later than two years after such program is commenced4 7b7 ,briefings ,not later than six months after the beginning of the pilot program under subsection 7a7 and every six months thereafter until the completion of such program1 the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration shall brief the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate on the progress of such program4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #ij days after completion of the pilot program under subsection 7a71 the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration shall submit to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate a report on the results of such pilot program with1 as appropriate1 a plan to integrate computed tomography technology into domestic and international air cargo screening operations1 including at overseas last point of departure airports4 #d4 ,air cargo regulation review 7a7 ,review ,not later than #aej days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration shall submit to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate a report on actions to improve the ,certified ,cargo ,screening ,program as established by the ,administrator in ,september #bjji4 ,the report shall-- 7#a7 review the degree to which the ,program is effective at fully addressing evolving threats to air cargo1 particularly as air cargo volumes fluctuate2 7#b7 review any vulnerabilities in the ,program and effectiveness of information sharing with air cargo security stakeholders2 and 7#c7 include information on actions to be taken to address findings in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 including information on plans to issue new rulemaking1 if necessary4 #e4 ,comptroller general review 7a7 ,in general ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7#a7 review the ,department of ,homeland ,security's analysis and intelligence pre-screening processes and procedures for the examination of air cargo entering the ,united ,states2 7#b7 review the computed tomography technology pilot program for air cargo screening on passenger-carrying aircraft1 conducted pursuant to section #c2 7#c7 assess the effectiveness of the ,department's risk-based strategy for examining air cargo and ensuring compliance with air cargo security rules and regulations2 and 7#d7 review the ,department's information sharing procedures and practices for disseminating information to relevant stakeholders on preventing1 mitigating1 and responding to air cargo related threats4 #f4 ,air cargo advance screening program 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,b of title ,,iv of the ,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb 7#f ,u4,s4,c4 #baa et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #dbj4 ,air cargo advance screening program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 consistent with the requirements of the ,trade ,act of #bjjb 7,public ,law #ajg-baj71 shall-- 7#a7 establish an air cargo advance screening program 7in this section referred to as the ,,acas ,program7 for the collection by ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection of advance electronic information from air carriers and other persons within the supply chain regarding cargo being transported to the ,united ,states by air2 7#b7 under such program1 require that such information be transmitted by such air carriers and other persons at the earliest point practicable prior to loading of such cargo onto an aircraft destined to or transiting through the ,united ,states2 7#c7 establish appropriate communications systems with freight forwarders1 shippers1 and air carriers2 7#d7 establish a system that will allow freight forwarders1 shippers1 and air carriers to provide shipment level data for air cargo1 departing from any location that is inbound to the ,united ,states2 and 7#e7 coordinate with the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration to identify opportunities in which the information furnished in compliance with the ,,acas ,program could be used by the ,administrator4 7b7 ,inspection of high-,risk cargo ,under the ,,acas ,program1 the ,secretary shall ensure that all cargo that has been identified as high risk is inspected-- 7#a7 prior to the loading of such cargo onto aircraft at the last point of departure2 or 7#b7 at an earlier point in the supply chain1 before departing for the ,united ,states4 7c7 ,consultation ,in carrying out the ,,acas ,program1 the ,secretary shall consult with relevant stakeholders1 as appropriate1 to ensure the implementation of an operationally feasible and practical approach to the collection of advance information with respect to cargo on aircraft departing for the ,united ,states1 and that the inspection of high-risk cargo recognizes the significant differences among air cargo business models and modes of transportation4 7d7 ,analysis ,the ,secretary may analyze the information referred to in subsection 7a7 in the ,department's automated targeting system and integrate such information with other intelligence to enhance the accuracy of the risk assessment process under the ,,acas ,program4 7e7 ,no duplication ,the ,secretary shall carry out this section in a manner that1 after the ,,acas ,program is fully in effect1 ensures1 to the greatest extent practicable1 that the ,,acas ,program does not duplicate other ,department programs or requirements relating to the submission of air cargo data or the inspection of high-risk cargo4 7f7 ,consideration of industry ,in carrying out the ,,acas ,program1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 take into consideration that the content and timeliness of the available data may vary among entities in the air cargo industry and among countries1 and shall explore procedures to accommodate such variations while maximizing the contribution of such data to the risk assessment process under the ,,acas ,program2 7#b7 test the business processes1 technologies1 and operational procedures required to provide advance information with respect to cargo on aircraft departing for the ,united ,states and carry out related inspection of high-risk cargo1 while ensuring minimization of delays and other negative impacts on vital supply chains2 and 7#c7 consider the cost1 benefit1 and feasibility before establishing any set time period for submission of certain elements of the data for air cargo under this section in line with the regulatory guidelines specified in ,executive ,order ,no4 #acefc1 and any successor ,executive order or regulation4 7g7 ,guidance ,the ,secretary shall provide guidance for participants in the ,,acas ,program regarding the requirements for participation1 including requirements for transmitting shipment level data4 7h7 ,use of data ,the ,secretary shall use the data provided under the ,,acas ,program for targeting shipments for screening and aviation security purposes only4 4 7b7 ,final rule ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall issue a final regulation to implement the ,,acas ,program under section #dbj of the ,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb 7as added by subsection 7a7 of this section7 to include the electronic transmission to ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection of data elements for targeting cargo1 including appropriate security elements of shipment level data1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the commencement of the ,,acas ,program under section #dbj of the ,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb 7as added by subsection 7a7 of this section71 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall submit to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs and the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate a report detailing the operational implementation of providing advance information under the ,,acas ,program and the value of such information in targeting cargo4 7d7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents in section #a7;b7 of the ,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #dai the following new item3 ,sec4 #dbj4 ,air cargo advance screening program4 4 #g4 ,third party canine cargo screening ,section #acjg of the ,implementing ,recommendations of the #i_/aa ,commission ,act of #bjjg 7#f ,u4,s4,c4 #aaaf7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking subsections 7f7 and 7g72 and 7#b7 by adding after subsection 7e7 the following new subsection3 7f7 ,third party canine teams for air cargo security 7#a7 ,in general ,in order to enhance the screening of air cargo and ensure that third party explosives detection canine assets are leveraged for such purpose1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration1 shall1 not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this subsection-- 7,a7 develop and issue standards for the use of such third party explosives detection canine assets for the primary screening of air cargo2 7,b7 develop a process to identify qualified non-,federal entities that will certify such canine assets that meet the standards established by the ,administrator under subparagraph 7,a72 7,c7 ensure that such entities qualified to certify such canine assets shall be independent from entities that will train and provide canines to end users of such canine assets2 7,d7 establish a system of ,transportation ,security ,administration audits of the process developed under subparagraph 7,b72 and 7,e7 provide that canines certified for the primary screening of air cargo can be used by air carriers1 foreign air carriers1 freight forwarders1 and shippers4 7#b7 ,implementation ,beginning on the date that the development of the process under paragraph 7#a77;,b7 is complete1 the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administrator1 shall-- 7,a7 facilitate the deployment of third party explosives detection canine assets under paragraph 7#a7 that meet the certification standards of the ,administration1 as determined by the ,administrator2 7,b7 make such standards available to vendors seeking to train and deploy such canine assets2 and 7,c7 ensure that all costs for the training and certification of canines1 and for the use of supplied canines1 are borne by private industry and not the ,federal ,government4 7#c7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,air carrier ,the term air carrier has the meaning given such term in section #djajb of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,b7 ,foreign air carrier ,the term foreign air carrier has the meaning given the term in section #djajb of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,c7 ,third party explosives detection canine asset ,the term third party explosives detection canine asset means any explosives detection canine or handler not owned or employed1 respectively1 by the ,transportation ,security ,administration4 4 #h4 ,known shipper program review ,the ,administrator shall request the ,air ,cargo ,subcommittee of ,aviation ,security ,advisory ,committee 7established under section #ddidf of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code7 to-- 7#a7 conduct a comprehensive review and security assessment of the known shipper program under #aedh4ag of title #di1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations2 7#b7 recommend whether the ,known ,shipper ,program should be modified or eliminated considering the full implementation of #ajj percent screening under section #ddija7;g7 of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7#c7 report its findings and recommendations to the ,administrator of the ,transportation ,security ,administration4