(a)
(2) In designing and carrying out the program established under this subsection, the Administrator shall-
(A) consult and coordinate activities with other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government doing similar research;
(B) identify departments, agencies, and instrumentalities that would benefit from that research; and
(C) seek cost-sharing agreements with those departments, agencies, and instrumentalities.
(3) In carrying out the program established under this subsection, the Administrator shall review and consider the annual reports the Secretary of Transportation submits to Congress on transportation security and intelligence.
(4)(A) In carrying out the program established under this subsection, the Administrator shall designate an individual to be responsible for engineering, research, and development with respect to security technology under the program.
(B) The individual designated under subparagraph (A) shall use appropriate systems engineering and risk management models in making decisions regarding the allocation of funds for engineering, research, and development with respect to security technology under the program.
(C) The individual designated under subparagraph (A) shall, on an annual basis, submit to the Administrator a report on activities under this paragraph during the preceding year. Each report shall include, for the year covered by such report, information on-
(i) progress made in engineering, research, and development with respect to security technology;
(ii) the allocation of funds for engineering, research, and development with respect to security technology; and
(iii) engineering, research, and development with respect to any technologies drawn from other agencies, including the rationale for engineering, research, and development with respect to such technologies.
(5) The Administrator may-
(A) make grants to institutions of higher learning and other appropriate research facilities with demonstrated ability to carry out research described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, and fix the amounts and terms of the grants; and
(B) make cooperative agreements with governmental authorities the Administrator decides are appropriate.
(b)
(A) a comprehensive systems analysis (employing vulnerability analysis, threat attribute definition, and technology roadmaps) of the civil aviation system, including-
(i) the destruction, commandeering, or diversion of civil aircraft or the use of civil aircraft as a weapon; and
(ii) the disruption of civil aviation service, including by cyber attack;
(B) explosive material that presents the most significant threat to civil aircraft;
(C) the minimum amounts, configurations, and types of explosive material that can cause, or would reasonably be expected to cause, catastrophic damage to aircraft in air transportation;
(D) the amounts, configurations, and types of explosive material that can be detected reliably by existing, or reasonably anticipated, near-term explosive detection technologies;
(E) the potential release of chemical, biological, or similar weapons or devices either within an aircraft or within an airport;
(F) the feasibility of using various ways to minimize damage caused by explosive material that cannot be detected reliably by existing, or reasonably anticipated, near-term explosive detection technologies;
(G) the ability to screen passengers, carry-on baggage, checked baggage, and cargo; and
(H) the technologies that might be used in the future to attempt to destroy or otherwise threaten commercial aircraft and the way in which those technologies can be countered effectively.
(2) The Administrator shall use the results of the review under this subsection to develop the focus and priorities of the program established under subsection (a) of this section.
(c)
(2)(A) The advisory panel shall consist of individuals who have scientific and technical expertise in-
(i) the development and testing of effective explosive detection systems;
(ii) aircraft structure and experimentation to decide on the type and minimum weights of explosives that an effective explosive detection technology must be capable of detecting;
(iii) technologies involved in minimizing airframe damage to aircraft from explosives; and
(iv) other scientific and technical areas the Administrator considers appropriate.
(B) In appointing individuals to the advisory panel, the Administrator should consider individuals from academia and the national laboratories, as appropriate.
(3) The Administrator shall organize the advisory panel into teams capable of undertaking the review of policies and technologies upon request.
(4) Biennially, the Administrator shall review the composition of the advisory panel in order to ensure that the expertise of the individuals on the panel is suited to the current and anticipated duties of the panel.
(d)
(1)
(2)
(A)
(i) be an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
(ii) reveal a trade secret or privileged or confidential commercial or financial information; or
(iii) be detrimental to transportation safety.
(B)
(C)
(i) to conceal a violation of law, inefficiency, or administrative error;
(ii) to prevent embarrassment to a person, organization, or agency;
(iii) to restrain competition; or
(iv) to prevent or delay the release of information that does not require protection in the interest of transportation security, including basic scientific research information not clearly related to transportation security.
(D)
(3)
(e)
(
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 44912(a) | 49 App.:1357(d)(3)(A), (D), (4)–(7). | Aug. 23, 1958,
|
| 44912(b) | 49 App.:1357(d)(3)(B), (C). | |
| 44912(c) | 49 App.:1357(d)(8). |
In subsection (a)(1), the words "It shall be the purpose of the program established under paragraph (3)" and "established under paragraph (3)" are omitted as unnecessary.
In subsection (a)(2)(A), the word "activities" is added for clarity. The words "departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government" are substituted for "Federal agencies" for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.
In subsection (a)(4), the words "The Administrator may . . . make grants" are substituted for "Amounts appropriated for each fiscal year under paragraph (9) shall be made available by the Administrator, by way of grants" to eliminate unnecessary words. In clause (A), the words "institutions of higher learning" are substituted for "colleges, universities", and the word "institutions" is substituted for "institutions and facilities", for clarity and consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. In clause (B), the words "governmental authorities" are substituted for "governmental entities" for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code.
In subsection (b)(1), before clause (A), the words "Not later than 180 days after November 16, 1990" are omitted as obsolete. Clause (B) is substituted for 49 App.:1357(d)(3)(B)(ii) and (iii) for clarity and to eliminate unnecessary words.
In subsection (b)(1)(E), the word "mail" is omitted as being included in "cargo".
2018-
Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(4)(C).
Subsec. (c)(1).
Subsec. (c)(4).
Subsecs. (d), (e).
2001-Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2), (3).
Subsec. (a)(4).
Subsec. (a)(5).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(1)(A).
Subsec. (b)(1)(B).
Subsec. (b)(1)(C).
Subsec. (b)(1)(D).
Subsec. (b)(1)(E) to (G).
Subsec. (b)(1)(H).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (c).
"(1) the development and testing of effective explosive detection systems;
"(2) aircraft structure and experimentation to decide on the type and minimum weights of explosives that an effective technology must be capable of detecting;
"(3) technologies involved in minimizing airframe damage to aircraft from explosives; and
"(4) other scientific and technical areas the Administrator considers appropriate."
"(a)
"(1) to cultivate innovations in transportation security;
"(2) to develop and recommend how to prioritize and streamline requirements for new approaches to transportation security;
"(3) to accelerate the development and introduction of new innovative transportation security technologies and improvements to transportation security operations; and
"(4) to provide industry with access to the airport environment during the technology development and assessment process to demonstrate the technology and to collect data to understand and refine technical operations and human factor issues.
"(b)
"(1) conduct activities to identify and develop an innovative technology, emerging security capability, or process designed to enhance transportation security, including-
"(A) by conducting a field demonstration of such a technology, capability, or process in the airport environment;
"(B) by gathering performance data from such a demonstration to inform the acquisition process; and
"(C) by enabling a small business with an innovative technology or emerging security capability, but less than adequate resources, to participate in such a demonstration;
"(2) conduct at least quarterly collaboration meetings with industry, including air carriers, airport operators, and other transportation security stakeholders to highlight and discuss best practices on innovative security operations and technology evaluation and deployment; and
"(3) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an annual report on the effectiveness of key performance data from task force-sponsored projects and checkpoint enhancements.
"(c)
"(1)
"(2)
"(3)
"(A) the relevant offices of the TSA;
"(B) if considered appropriate by the Administrator, the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security;
"(C) any other component of the Department of Homeland Security that the Administrator considers appropriate; and
"(D) such industry representatives as the Administrator considers appropriate.
"(d)
"(e)
[For definitions of terms used in section 1916 of
"(a)
"(1) the acceleration of research, development, testing, and evaluation of explosives detection technology for checked baggage, specifically, technology that is-
"(A) more cost-effective for deployment for explosives detection in checked baggage at small- to medium-sized airports, and is currently under development as part of the Argus research program at the Transportation Security Administration;
"(B) faster, to facilitate screening of all checked baggage at larger airports; or
"(C) more accurate, to reduce the number of false positives requiring additional security measures;
"(2) acceleration of research, development, testing, and evaluation of new screening technology for carry-on items to provide more effective means of detecting and identifying weapons, explosives, and components of weapons of mass destruction, including advanced x-ray technology;
"(3) acceleration of research, development, testing, and evaluation of threat screening technology for other categories of items being loaded onto aircraft, including cargo, catering, and duty-free items;
"(4) acceleration of research, development, testing, and evaluation of threats carried on persons boarding aircraft or entering secure areas, including detection of weapons, explosives, and components of weapons of mass destruction;
"(5) acceleration of research, development, testing and evaluation of integrated systems of airport security enhancement, including quantitative methods of assessing security factors at airports selected for testing such systems;
"(6) expansion of the existing program of research, development, testing, and evaluation of improved methods of education, training, and testing of key airport security personnel; and
"(7) acceleration of research, development, testing, and evaluation of aircraft hardening materials, and techniques to reduce the vulnerability of aircraft to terrorist attack.
"(b)
"(c)
"(d)
"(1) research and development of longer-term improvements to airport security, including advanced weapons detection;
"(2) secure networking and sharing of threat information between Federal agencies, law enforcement entities, and other appropriate parties;
"(3) advances in biometrics for identification and threat assessment; or
"(4) other technologies for preventing acts of terrorism in aviation."
[For definitions of terms used in section 137 of
Advisory panels established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than expiration of 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a panel established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such panel is renewed by appropriate action prior to expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a panel established by Congress, its duration is otherwise provided for by law. See sections 3(2) and 14 of