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United States · Law · S

S. 39 (93rd)

An Act to amend the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to implement the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft; to provide a more effective program to prevent aircraft piracy; and for other purposes.

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

4 January 1973

Last action

5 August 1974 · President

Status

Public law 93-366.

Sponsors

Sen. Cannon, Howard W. [D-NV], Sen. Byrd, Robert C. [D-WV], Sen. Magnuson, Warren G. [D-WA], Sen. Hollings, Ernest F. [D-SC], Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK], Sen. Stennis, John C. [D-MS]

Subjects

Transport, Aviation

Source updated

14 January 2025

Transport · Aviation

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 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 afterward 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, or is used as a base of operations for terrorist groups, 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, and any foreign person to operate aircraft in foreign air commerce between the United States 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 security measures relating to transportation of persons or property or mail in foreign air transportation that are equal to or above the minimum standards which are established pursuant to the Convention on International Civil Aviation or, prior to a date when such standards are adopted and enter into force pursuant to such convention, the specifications and practices set out in appendix A to Resolution A 17-10 of the Seventeenth Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Title II: Air Transportation Security Act - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to prescribe reasonable regulations requiring that all passengers and property intended to be carried in the aircraft cabin be screened by weapon-detecting devices operated by the air carrier's employees. Requires the Administrator to acquire and furnish for the use by air carriers sufficient devices necessary for the purposes of this Act. Requires the Administrator to establish and maintain an air transportation security force of sufficient size to provide a law enforcement presence and capability at airports in the United States adequate to insure the safety from criminal violence and air piracy of persons traveling in air transportation. Provides that the Administrator may not require, by regulation of otherwise, the presence at airports in the United States of State or local law enforcement personnel to assist in or support the screening of passengers and property prior to boarding, or to enforce, or to act as a deterrent against acts which are prohibited by, United States statutes other than as authorized by this Act. Provides that no person shall be frisked or searched unless he has been identified by a weapons detection device as a person who is reasonably likely to be carrying unlawfully a concealed weapon and before he has been given an opportunity to remove from his person or clothing objects which could have evoked a positive response from the weapons detection device, and unless he consents to such search. Provides that, if consent for such search is denied, such person shall be denied boarding and shall forfeit his opportunity to be transported in air transportation, intrastate air transportation, and foreign air transportation. Sets forth criminal penalties for the carrying aboard an aircraft of weapons. Authorizes appropriations of $35,000,000 for fiscal years 1973, and 1974 to maintain the air transportation security force provided for in this Act.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 4 January 1973

    Introduced

    Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 4 January 1973

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 2 February 1973

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Commerce with amendment, S. Rept. 93-13.

    Source: Committee

  4. 2 February 1973

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Commerce with amendment, S. Rept. 93-13.

    Source: Committee

  5. 21 February 1973

    Vote

    Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #24 (89-0).

    Source: Floor

  6. 21 February 1973

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #24 (89-0).

    Source: Floor

  7. 22 February 1973

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

    Source: IntroReferral

  8. 13 March 1974

    Passed

    Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 3858.

    Source: Floor

  9. 13 March 1974

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in House: Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 3858.

    Source: Floor

  10. 28 March 1974

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference scheduled in Senate.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  11. 1 April 1974

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference scheduled in House.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  12. 12 July 1974

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1194.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  13. 12 July 1974

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1194.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  14. 17 July 1974

    Passed

    House agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  15. 17 July 1974

    Passed

    Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  16. 23 July 1974

    Passed

    Senate agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  17. 23 July 1974

    Passed

    Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  18. 24 July 1974

    Floor

    Measure presented to President.

    Source: Floor

  19. 24 July 1974

    President

    Measure presented to President.

    Source: President

  20. 5 August 1974

    Became law

    Signed by President.

    Source: BecameLaw

  21. 5 August 1974

    President

    Signed by President.

    Source: President

  22. 5 August 1974

    President

    Public law 93-366.

    Source: President

Votes

· Official source

Yes 0 · No 0 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 0

    Versions

    No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

    Documents

    3 official files

    Public Law (PDF)

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    • Public Law (PDF)

      Public Law · EN · 6 August 1974

      ViewDownloadOpen at official source

    • Public Law

      summary · EN · 5 August 1974

      Open at official source

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    • Introduced in Senate

      summary · EN · 4 January 1973

      Open at official source

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    Sponsors

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