Under current law, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for testing facilities, equipment, and systems related to transportation security. As an alternative, H.R. 4561 would direct TSA to establish a program to allow technology developers to obtain testing from a third party, subject to requirements specified in the bill. H.R. 4561 also would require the Government Accountability Office to study the effects of the proposed program and would direct TSA to develop, in consultation with the European Civil Aviation Conference, processes to promote reciprocal recognition of security-related standards among international organizations.
Using information from TSA, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4561 would cost about $300,000 annually. Such spending—which would be subject to appropriation—would support additional staff required to develop policies related to TSA’s vetting of data from external sources and for reviewing information submitted by vendors that would use the third-party testing program. Enacting H.R. 4561 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4561 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
H.R. 4561 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
