shall transmit to Congress a certification that the requirement of paragraph (1) has been met. * * * * * SEC. 111. TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OF SECURITY SCREENING PERSONNEL. (d) [49 U.S.C. 44935 note] SCREENER PERSONNEL.-Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security may employ, appoint, discipline, terminate, and fix the compensation, terms, and conditions of employment of Federal service for such a number of individuals as the Under Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out the screening functions of the Under Secretary under section 44901 of title 49, United States Code. The Under Secretary shall establish levels of compensation and other benefits for individuals so employed. (c) [49 U.S.C. 44939 note] INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.-The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall work with the International Civil Aviation Organization and the civil aviation authorities of other countries to improve international aviation security through screening programs for flight instruction candidates. SEC. 117. [49 U.S.C. 44903 note] AIRLINE COMPUTER RESERVATION SYSTEMS. In order to ensure that all airline computer reservation systems maintained by United States air carriers are secure from unauthorized access by persons seeking information on reservations, passenger manifests, or other nonpublic information, the Secretary of Transportation shall require all such air carriers to utilize to the maximum extent practicable the best technology available to secure their computer reservation system against such unauthorized ac SEC. 121. [49 U.S.C. 44903 note] AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF AIRPORTS FOR SECURITY MANDATES. (a) AIRPORT SECURITY.-There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for fiscal years 2002 and 2003 a total of $1,500,000,000 to reimburse airport operators, on-airport parking lots, and vendors of on-airfield direct services to air carriers for direct costs incurred by such operators to comply with new, additional, or revised security requirements imposed on such operators by the Federal Aviation Administration or Transportation Security Administration on or after September 11, 2001. Such sums shall remain available until expended. (b) DOCUMENTATION OF COSTS; AUDIT.-The Secretary may not reimburse an airport operator, on-airport parking lot, or vendor of on-airfield direct services to air carriers under this section for any cost for which the airport operator, on-airport parking lot, or vendor of on-airfield direct services does not demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Secretary, using sworn financial statements or other appropriate data, that (1) the cost is eligible for reimbursement under subsection (a); and (2) the cost was incurred by the airport operator, on-airport parking lot, or vendor of on-airfield direct services to air carriers. The Inspector General of the Department of Transportation and the Comptroller General of the United States may audit such statements and may request any other information necessary to conduct such an audit. (c) CLAIM PROCEDURE.-Within 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, after consultation with airport operators, on-airport parking lots, and vendors of on-airfield direct services to air carriers, shall publish in the Federal Register the procedures for filing claims for reimbursement under this section of eligible costs incurred by airport operators. SEC. 127. [49 U.S.C. 40101 note] MAIL AND FREIGHT WAIVERS. * (a)1 IN GENERAL.-During a national emergency affecting air transportation or intrastate air transportation, the Secretary of Transportation, after consultation with the Transportation Security Oversight Board, may grant a complete or partial waiver of any restrictions on the carriage by aircraft of freight, mail, emergency medical supplies, personnel, or patients on aircraft, imposed by the Department of Transportation (or other Federal agency or department) that would permit such carriage of freight, mail, emergency medical supplies, personnel, or patients on flights, to, from, or within a State if the Secretary determines that (1) extraordinary air transportation needs or concerns exist; and (2) the waiver is in the public interest, taking into consideration the isolation of and dependence on air transportation of the State. (b) LIMITATIONS.-The Secretary may impose reasonable limitations on any such waiver. SEC. 137. [49 U.S.C. 44912 note] RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF AVIATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGY. (a) FUNDING. To augment the programs authorized in section 44912(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, there is authorized to be appropriated an additional $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006 and such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter to the Transportation Security Administration, for research, development, testing, and evaluation of the following technologies which may enhance aviation security in the future. Grants to industry, academia, and Government entities to carry out 1 Margin so in law. the provisions of this section shall be available for fiscal years 2002 and 2003 for (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) GRANTS.-Grants awarded under this subtitle shall identify potential outcomes of the research, and propose a method for quantitatively assessing effective increases in security upon completion of the research program. At the conclusion of each grant, the grant recipient shall submit a final report to the Transportation Security Administration that shall include sufficient information to permit the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security to prepare a cost-benefit analysis of potential improvements to airport security based upon deployment of the proposed technology. The Under Secretary shall begin awarding grants under this subtitle within 90 days of the date of enactment of this Act. (c) BUDGET SUBMISSION.—A budget submission and detailed strategy for deploying the identified security upgrades recommended upon completion of the grants awarded under subsection (b), shall be submitted to Congress as part of the Department of Transportation's annual budget submission. (d) DEFENSE RESEARCH.-There is authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 to the Transportation Security Administration to issue research grants in conjunction with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Grants may be awarded under this section for (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. SEC. 145. [49 U.S.C. 40101 note] AIR CARRIERS REQUIRED TO HONOR TICKETS FOR SUSPENDED SERVICE. (a) IN GENERAL.-Each air carrier that provides scheduled air transportation on a route shall provide, to the extent practicable, air transportation to passengers ticketed for air transportation on that route by any other air carrier that suspends, interrupts, or discontinues air passenger service on the route by reason of insolvency or bankruptcy of the other air carrier. (b) PASSENGER OBLIGATION.-An air carrier is not required to provide air transportation under subsection (a) to a passenger unless that passenger makes alternative arrangements with the air carrier for such transportation within 60 days after the date on which that passenger's air transportation was suspended, interrupted, or discontinued (without regard to the originally scheduled travel date on the ticket). (c) SUNSET. This section does not apply to air transportation the suspension, interruption, or discontinuance of which occurs more than 27 months 1 after the date of enactment of this Act. 1 Section 372 of division I of P.L. 108-7 (117 Stat. 427) amended subsection (c) as follows: "by striking the number (18) and inserting the number (27)". The amendment was executed to reflect the probable intent of Congress. |