A bill to amend the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to provide a more effective program to prevent aircraft piracy, and for other purposes.

Summary

Title I: Anti-Hijacking Act - Expands the definition of the term "special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States" when used in the Federal Aviation Act to include the following aircraft while in flight: (1) any aircraft outside the United States that has an offense, as defined in the convention for the suppression of unlawful seizure of aircraft, committed aboard, if the aircraft lands in the United States with the alleged offender still aboard; and (2) other aircraft leased without crew to a lessee who has his principal place of business in the United States, or his permanent residence in the United States. Provides that whoever commits or attempts to commit aircraft piracy shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than twenty years or for more than life. Provides that whoever aboard an aircraft in flight outside the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States commits an offense, as defined in the convention for the suppression of unlawful seizure of aircraft, and is afterwards found in the United States shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 20 years or for more than life. Provides that whenever the President determines that a foreign nation is acting in a manner inconsistent with the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, he may, without notice or hearing and for as long as he determines necessary to assure the security of aircraft against unlawful seizure, suspend the right of any air transportation and any persons to operate aircraft in foreign air commerce to and from that foreign nation and the right of any foreign air carrier to engage in foreign air transportation. foreign person to operate aircraft in foreign air commerce between the U.S. and any foreign nation which maintains air service between itself and that foreign nation. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to suspend the operating authority of foreign air carriers when he finds that a foreign nation does not effectively maintain and administer prescribed security measures relating to transportation of persons or property or mail in foreign air transportation. Title II: Air Transportation Security Act - Directs the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to establish and maintain a coordinated national police effort to curb acts of aircraft piracy and destruction of aircraft or aircraft officials, in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. States that the Director shall establish an air transportation security force, composed of agents of the Bureau and State and local law enforcement personnel. Provides that no person shall be searched unless he has been identified by a weapons detection device as a person who is reasonably likely to be carrying skyjacking paraphernalia and such identification has been made after he has been given an opportunity to remove metallic or similar devices from his person if such initially motivated a weapons detection device, and unless he consents to such search. States that if such person does not consent his flight reservation will be canceled and the cost of his ticket will be refunded. Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Director of the FBI to submit semi-annual reports to Congress on the effectiveness of the programs instituted under this authority.

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Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 27 February 1973

  Open at official source

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