Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990

Summary

Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990 - Title I: Aviation Security - Establishes as a position within the Department of Transportation an Assistant Secretary for Transportation Security and Intelligence, appointed by the President for a term of five years, who shall be responsible for the development of transportation security. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to report annually to the Congress on transportation security, including appropriate recommendations. Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to establish the position of Assistant Administrator for Civil Aviation Security. Requires the Assistant Administrator to review and prescribe measures to strengthen: (1) controls over checked baggage in air transportation, including measures to ensure baggage reconciliation with respect to passengers who meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) criteria as possibly having explosive devices in such baggage; (2) control of individuals with access to aircraft; (3) testing of security systems; (4) use of modern x-ray equipment; and (5) prescreening of passengers. Directs the Administrator of the FAA (Administrator) to establish the position of Federal Security Manager and initiate placement of such managers at U.S. airports. Sets forth the duties of such managers. Requires the Administrator to establish the position of Foreign Security Liaison Officer, who shall be stationed outside the United States and be liaison of the Assistant Administrator with foreign security authorities concerning implementation of Federal Security requirements. Directs the Administrator to issue regulations that subject air carrier personnel with unescorted access to domestic and foreign aircraft or secured areas of domestic airports serving U.S. or foreign air carriers to preemployment and postemployment investigations, including fingerprinting. Requires the Administrator and the Attorney General to establish fees to cover expenses incurred in carrying out this Act. Directs the Administrator of the FAA to prescribe standards for the hiring, continued employment, and contracting of air carrier and airport security personnel. Requires the Administrator to conduct an assessment of current and potential threats to the domestic air transportation system, including the security of individual airports. Directs the Administrator to establish a program to accelerate and expand the research, development, and implementation of technologies and procedures to counteract terrorist acts against civil aviation. Requires the Administrator to: (1) complete a review of threats to civil aviation; and (2) establish a scientific advisory board to review and advise on the progress of such program. Authorizes appropriations. Prohibits the deployment or purchase of explosive detection equipment unless the Administrator certifies that it can reliably detect explosive material which can cause catastrophic damage to commercial aircraft with 60 or more passenger seats. Requires air carriers, airport operators, travel agents, and employees who receive information of a threat to civil aviation to provide such information to: (1) an official of the FAA; (2) the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Transportation Security and Intelligence; or (3) other appropriate officials. Requires the Administrator to cancel flights in the event that passenger safety from such a threat cannot be ensured. Requires the Postmaster General to issue regulations to permit the screening by air carriers of mail not sealed against inspection. Requires the Administrator to require screening of mail and cargo by air carriers or their agents before the transport of such materials. Directs the Administrator to develop model standards for airport design and construction to allow for maximum security enhancement. Directs the heads of the agencies of the intelligence community to promulgate policies and procedures to ensure that intelligence reports concerning international terrorism are made available to other members of the intelligence community and the FAA. Directs the Director of Central Intelligence to designate at least one intelligence officer of the Central Intelligence Agency to serve in a senior staff position in the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation. Requires the intelligence community and the FAA to review and revise all memoranda of understanding and other agreements between them. Title II: United States Response to Terrorism Affecting Americans Abroad - Declares that the Department of State (the Department) shall be responsible for negotiating aviation security agreements with foreign countries concerning implementation of U.S. rules and regulations which affect the foreign operations of U.S. air carriers, foreign air carriers, and foreign airports. Establishes within the Department the position of Coordinator for International Aviation Security. Requires the Administrator to require all air carriers, including foreign air carriers, to provide a passenger manifest of any flight to appropriate representatives of the Department not more than one hour after such carrier is notified of an aviation disaster outside the United States involving such flight. Authorizes the use of passport fees collected by the Department for the purchase and installation of machines able to read U.S. passports and facilitate the collection of specified data. Declares it to be the policy of the Department to notify promptly the families of victims of aviation disasters abroad, including timely written notice. Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary) to issue guidelines to provide that in the event of an aviation disaster involving U.S. citizens abroad, the Department will assign a specific individual, and an alternate, as the Department liaison for the family of each such citizen. Requires the Secretary to ensure that a toll-free telephone number is reserved for the use of the families of citizens who have been involved in such disasters. Requires the Secretary to institute a supplemental program of training in disaster management for all consular officers. Directs the Secretary to issue guidelines to provide that in the event of an international aviation disaster involving U.S. citizens abroad at least: (1) one senior officer from the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Department shall be dispatched to the disaster site; and (2) one Department employee shall be dispatched to such site to provide assistance and to act as an ombudsman with foreign local authorities for the victims' families. Requires the Secretary to promulgate: (1) criteria for Department staffing of disaster sites abroad; and (2) procedures for the deployment of a crisis team. Declares it to be the policy of the Department to provide arrangements for the preparation and transport to the United States of the remains of citizens who die abroad, as well as for disposition of personal effects. Requires the Secretary to compile an assessment of the Department response to the Pan American Airways Flight 103 aviation disaster over Lockerbie, Scotland, together with guidelines for future response to such disasters, for distribution to Embassy and consular posts abroad. Requires the Secretary to promulgate guidelines with respect to recognition for the families of U.S. citizens who are killed through acts of terrorism abroad. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should propose a protocol to the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Transportation by Air (the Warsaw Convention) which would raise the limit on carrier liability above the $130,000 limit set under Montreal Protocol Three. Directs the President to submit to the Congress a legislative proposal to authorize the United States to provide monetary and tax relief as compensation to U.S. citizens who are victims of terrorism. Requires the Secretary to issue regulations to establish, under the Bureau of Consular Affairs, an electronic bulletin board accessible to the general public.

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3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN

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• Reported to House amended, Part I

  summary · EN · 10 October 1990

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 28 June 1990

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