PROTECTION OF PASSENGER PLANES FROM EXPLOSIVES.

SEC. 1610. PROTECTION OF PASSENGER PLANES FROM EXPLOSIVES.(a) Technology Research and Pilot Projects.—(1) Research and development.—The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, shall expedite research and development programs for technologies that can disrupt or prevent an explosive device from being introduced onto a passenger plane or from damaging a passenger plane while in flight or on the ground. The research shall be used in support of implementation of section 44901 of title 49, United States Code.(2) Pilot projects.—The Secretary, in conjunction with the Secretary of Transportation, shall establish a grant program to fund pilot projects—(A) to deploy technologies described in paragraph (1); and(B) to test technologies to expedite the recovery, development, and analysis of information from aircraft 121 STAT. 485 accidents to determine the cause of the accident, including deployable flight deck and voice recorders and remote location recording devices.(b) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2008 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section. Such sums shall remain available until expended.