[House Report 114-493]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
114th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 114-493
======================================================================
TREATING SMALL AIRPORTS WITH FAIRNESS ACT OF 2016
_______
April 13, 2016.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. McCaul, from the Committee on Homeland Security, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4549]
The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4549) to require the Transportation Security
Administration to conduct security screening at certain
airports, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that
the bill as amended do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 3
Committee Consideration.......................................... 3
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 3
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 3
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 3
Duplicative Federal Programs..................................... 4
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 4
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Preemption Clarification......................................... 4
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings.............................. 4
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 4
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 4
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 5
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Treating Small Airports with Fairness
Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. CONDUCT OF SECURITY SCREENING BY THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION AT CERTAIN AIRPORTS.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration shall provide for security screening to be conducted by
the Transportation Security Administration at, and provide all
necessary staff and equipment to, any airport--
(1) that lost commercial air service on or after January 1,
2013; and
(2) the operator of which, following the loss described in
paragraph (1), submits to the Administrator--
(A) a request for security screening to be conducted
at such airport by the Transportation Security
Administration; and
(B) written confirmation of a commitment from a
commercial air carrier--
(i) that such air carrier intends to resume
commercial air service at such airport; and
(ii) to resume such service not later than
the date that is one year after the date of the
submission of the request under subparagraph
(A).
(b) Deadline.--Subject to the one-year limitation described in
subsection (a)(2)(B)(ii), the Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall ensure that the process of implementing
security screening by the Transportation Security Administration at an
airport described in subsection (a) is complete not later than the
later of--
(1) the date that is 90 days after the date on which the
operator of such airport submits to the Administrator a request
for such screening under paragraph (2)(A) of such subsection;
or
(2) the date on which the commercial air carrier that is the
subject of such a request intends to resume commercial air
service at such airport.
(c) Effects on Other Airports.--The Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration shall carry out this section in
a manner that does not negatively affect operations at airports not
described in this section that are otherwise provided security
screening conducted by the Transportation Security Administration.
Purpose and Summary
The purpose of H.R. 4549 is to require the Transportation
Security Administration to conduct security screening at
certain airports, and for other purposes.
Background and Need for Legislation
There are currently at least six airports that have had
requests denied by the Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) to return security screening and personnel airports after
temporary gaps in commercial air service:
Del Rio International Airport in Del Rio, Texas (DRT)
Sheridan County Airport in Sheridan, Wyoming (SHR)
Fair Child International Airport in Port Angeles,
Washington (CLM)
Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas (SLN)
Canyonlands Field Airport in Moab, Utah (CNY)
Crater Lake Klamath Regional Airport in Klamath Falls,
Oregon (LMT)
TSA has stated they have no requirement under law to return
this needed service, and instead has directed the airports to
allow passengers to fly unscreened to their next destination,
and undergo reverse security screening there. This poses
serious security issues, and would increase travel time and
costs for passengers. According to local officials and the
commercial airlines hoping to return service to these small
airports, this is not a feasible option due to the security
concerns of 30 passengers flying unscreened to a major
metropolitan area, the added travel time caused by using a
shuttle bus to reach the front of the airport for screening,
and other logistical challenges.
Hearings
No hearings were held on H.R. 4549.
Committee Consideration
The Committee met on March 23, 2016, to consider H.R. 4549,
and ordered the measure to be reported to the House with a
favorable recommendation, as amended, by unanimous consent. The
Committee took the following actions:
The following amendments were offered:
An amendment offered by Mr. Thompson of Mississippi (#1); was
AGREED TO by unanimous consent.
In section 2, add at the end a new subsection entitled
``(c) Effects on Other Airports.''
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee to list the recorded
votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments
thereto.
No recorded votes were requested during consideration of
H.R. 4549.
Committee Oversight Findings
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee has held oversight
hearings and made findings that are reflected in this report.
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of Rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R.
4549, the Treating Small Airports with Fairness Act of 2016,
would result in no new or increased budget authority,
entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.
Congressional Budget Office Estimate
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, a cost estimate provided by the
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chairman
of the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, H.R. 4549 contains the following
general performance goals and objectives, including outcome
related goals and objectives authorized.
The goal of this bill is to ensure that all necessary staff
and screening equipment is provided to any airport that lost
commercial air service on or after January 1, 2013, and the
operator of which, submits to the Transportation Security
Administrator a request for screening and written confirmation
of a commitment from a commercial air carrier that such carrier
intends to resume commercial air service at such airport not
later than the date that is one year after the date of the
submission of the request to the Administrator.
Duplicative Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c) of Rule XIII, the Committee finds
that H.R. 4549 does not contain any provision that establishes
or reauthorizes a program known to be duplicative of another
Federal program.
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits
In compliance with Rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the Rule
XXI.
Federal Mandates Statement
An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chairman
of the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
Preemption Clarification
In compliance with section 423 of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, requiring the report of any Committee on a bill or
joint resolution to include a statement on the extent to which
the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt State,
local, or Tribal law, the Committee finds that H.R. 4549 does
not preempt any State, local, or Tribal law.
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings
The Committee estimates that H.R. 4549 would require no
directed rule makings.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Short Title.
This section provides that this bill may be cited as the
``Treating Small Airports with Fairness Act of 2016''.
Sect. 2. Conduct of Security Screening by the Transportation Security
Administration at Certain Airports.
This section requires the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) to provide the necessary staff and
screening equipment to any airport that lost commercial air
service on or after January 1, 2013. Additionally, the operator
must submit a request for security screening to the
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration and
a written confirmation of a commitment from a commercial air
carrier that such carrier intends to resume commercial air
service at such airport and service will be resumed not later
than one year after the date that the operator submitted a
request for security screening to the Administrator.
This section also requires the Administrator to ensure that
security screening is implemented by the TSA at an airport
described above not later than the later of 90 days after the
airport operator submits a request for such screening or the
date which the commercial air carrier that is the subject of
such request intends to resume commercial air service at such
airport.
This section requires that the restoration of screening
services by the Transportation Security Administration at
airports described in this section does not negatively affect
airport operations at airports not described in this section.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
As reported, H.R. 4549 makes no changes to existing law.
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