BLAST-RESISTANT CARGO CONTAINERS.

SEC. 1609. BLAST-RESISTANT CARGO CONTAINERS. Section 44901 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 1602, is further amended by adding at the end the following:“(j) Blast-Resistant Cargo Containers.—“(1) In general.—Before January 1, 2008, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall—“(A) evaluate the results of the blast-resistant cargo container pilot program that was initiated before the date of enactment of this subsection; and“(B) prepare and distribute through the Aviation Security Advisory Committee to the appropriate Committees of Congress and air carriers a report on that evaluation which may contain nonclassified and classified sections.“(2) Acquisition, maintenance, and replacement.—Upon completion and consistent with the results of the evaluation that paragraph (1)(A) requires, the Administrator shall—“(A) develop and implement a program, as the Administrator determines appropriate, to acquire, maintain, and replace blast-resistant cargo containers;“(B) pay for the program; and“(C) make available blast-resistant cargo containers to air carriers pursuant to paragraph (3).“(3) Distribution to air carriers.—The Administrator shall make available, beginning not later than July 1, 2008, blast-resistant cargo containers to air carriers for use on a risk managed basis as determined by the Administrator.”.