SHORT TERM ASSESSMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF EMERGING SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCEDURES.

SEC. 136. SHORT TERM ASSESSMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF EMERGING SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCEDURES. Section 44903 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “(i) Short-Term Assessment and Deployment of Emerging Security Technologies and Procedures.— “(1) In general.—The Under Secretary of Transportation for Security shall recommend to airport operators, within 6 months after the date of enactment of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, commercially available measures 115 STAT. 637 or procedures to prevent access to secure airport areas by unauthorized persons. As part of the 6-month assessment, the Under Secretary for Transportation Security shall— “(A) review the effectiveness of biometrics systems currently in use at several United States airports, including San Francisco International; “(B) review the effectiveness of increased surveillance at access points; “(C) review the effectiveness of card- or keypad-based access systems; “(D) review the effectiveness of airport emergency exit systems and determine whether those that lead to secure areas of the airport should be monitored or how breaches can be swiftly responded to; and “(E) specifically target the elimination of the “piggybacking” phenomenon, where another person follows an authorized person through the access point. The 6-month assessment shall include a 12-month deployment strategy for currently available technology at all category X airports, as defined in the Federal Aviation Administration approved air carrier security programs required under part 108 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a review of reductions in unauthorized access at these airports. “(2) Computer-assisted passenger prescreening system.— “(A) In general.—The Secretary of Transportation shall ensure that the Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System, or any successor system— “(i) is used to evaluate all passengers before they board an aircraft; and “(ii) includes procedures to ensure that individuals selected by the system and their carry-on and checked baggage are adequately screened. “(B) Modifications.—The Secretary of Transportation may modify any requirement under the Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System for flights that originate and terminate within the same State, if the Secretary determines that— “(i) the State has extraordinary air transportation needs or concerns due to its isolation and dependence on air transportation; and “(ii) the routine characteristics of passengers, given the nature of the market, regularly triggers primary selectee status.”.