WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVE DETECTION STUDY.

SEC. 303. WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVE DETECTION STUDY. (a) In General.— The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall enter into an arrangement with the Director of the National Academy of Sciences (or if the National Academy of Sciences is not available, the head of another equivalent entity) to conduct a study in accordance to this section. (b) Panel of Experts.— (1) In general.— In carrying out a study under this section, the Director of the National Academy of Sciences (or the head of another equivalent entity) shall establish a panel (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “panel”). (2) Expertise.— Each member of the panel shall have expertise in weapons and explosive detection technology, security, air carrier and airport operations, or another appropriate area. The Director of the National Academy of Sciences (or the head of another equivalent entity) shall ensure that the panel has an appropriate number of representatives of the areas specified in the preceding sentence. (c) Study.— The panel, in consultation with the National Science and Technology Council, representatives of appropriate 110 STAT. 3251Federal agencies, and appropriate members of the private sector, shall— (1) assess the weapons and explosive detection technologies that are available at the time of the study that are capable of being effectively deployed in commercial aviation; (2) determine how the technologies referred to in paragraph (1) may more effectively be used for promotion and improvement of security at airport and aviation facilities and other secured areas; (3) assess the cost and advisability of requiring hardened cargo containers as a way to enhance aviation security and reduce the required sensitivity of bomb detection equipment; and (4) on the basis of the assessments and determinations made under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), identify the most promising technologies for the improvement of the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of weapons and explosive detection. (d) Cooperation.— The National Science and Technology Council shall take such actions as may be necessary to facilitate, to the maximum extent practicable and upon request of the Director of the National Academy of Sciences (or the head of another equivalent entity), the cooperation of representatives of appropriate Federal agencies, as provided for in subsection (c), in providing the panel, for the study under this section— (1) expertise; and (2) to the extent allowable by law, resources and facilities. (e) Reports.— The Director of the National Academy of Sciences (or the head of another equivalent entity) shall, pursuant to an arrangement entered into under subsection (a), submit to the Administrator such reports as the Administrator considers to be appropriate. Upon receipt of a report under this subsection, the Administrator shall submit a copy of the report to the appropriate committees of Congress. (f) Authorization of Appropriations.— There are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 1997 through 2001 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.