As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on February 26, 2015
H.R. 720 would direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), to undertake a variety of activities aimed at enhancing security at airports where TSA performs or oversees security-related activities. The bill would require TSA to verify that all such airports have plans in place for responding to security threats and to provide technical assistance as necessary to improve such plans. H.R. 720 also would require TSA to disseminate information on best practices for addressing security threats, ensure that all screening personnel have received training in how to handle potential shooting threats, and conduct outreach to assess the preparedness of passenger transportation agencies and providers with high-risk facilities. Finally, H.R. 720 would require the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Office of Cybersecurity and Communications to report to the Congress on the capacity of law enforcement, fire, and medical response teams to communicate with each other and respond to security threats at airports.
Based on information from DHS, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 720 would cost $2.5 million in 2016, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Of that amount, CBO estimates the department would spend about $1.5 million to provide additional technical assistance to airports and about $1 million to evaluate the interoperability of communication systems used by emergency response teams and overall preparedness of those entities with high-risk facilities. H.R. 720 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.R. 720 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
