Arm All Pilots Act of 2015
This bill revises requirements for the federal flight deck officer program.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall designate additional training facilities for:
DHS (formerly, the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security of the Department of Transportation) shall:
DHS may require certain limitations on initial and recurrent training for such officers.
The bill revises the authority of federal flight deck officers to carry firearms on domestic and foreign flights.
DHS may not establish medical or physical standards for a pilot to become a federal flight deck officer inconsistent with or more stringent than Federal Aviation Administration requirements for issuance of a first- or second-class airman medical certificate.
A pilot deputized as a federal flight deck officer may move from inactive to active status after completing one recurrent training program.
DHS shall allow officers to be screened through the Transportation Security Administration's Known Crew Member program when entering an airport sterile area.
Each air carrier certifying to DHS that it has a pilot deputized as a federal flight deck officer on all its flights shall receive a refund of up to 10% of security service fees collected from passengers on flights operated by that air carrier.
DHS shall revise certain federal regulations to classify information about deputized pilots as sensitive security information.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4300 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4300
To improve the Federal flight deck officers program, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 18, 2015
Mr. Brat (for himself, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr.
McClintock, Mr. Massie, Mr. Brooks of Alabama, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr.
Bridenstine, Mr. Meadows, Mrs. Lummis, Mr. Gosar, and Mr. Jones)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the Federal flight deck officers program, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Arm All Pilots Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. FACILITATION OF AND LIMITATIONS ON TRAINING OF FEDERAL FLIGHT
DECK OFFICERS.
(a) Improved Access to Training Facilities.--Section
44921(c)(2)(C)(ii) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``The training of'' and inserting the
following:
``(I) In general.--The training
of''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(II) Access to training
facilities.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of the
Arm All Pilots Act of 2015, the
Secretary shall--
``(aa) designate 5
additional firearms training
facilities located in various
regions of the United States
for Federal flight deck
officers relative to the number
of such facilities available on
the day before such date of
enactment;
``(bb) designate firearms
training facilities approved
before such date of enactment
for recurrent training of
Federal flight deck officers as
facilities approved for initial
training and certification of
pilots seeking to be deputized
as Federal flight deck
officers; and
``(cc) designate additional
firearms training facilities
for recurrent training of
Federal flight deck officers
relative to the number of such
facilities available on the day
before such date of
enactment.''.
(b) Firearms Requalification for Federal Flight Deck Officers.--
Section 44921(c)(2)(C)(iii) of such title is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Under Secretary shall'' and inserting
the following:
``(I) In general.--The Secretary
shall'';
(2) in subclause (I), as designated by paragraph (1), by
striking ``the Under Secretary'' and inserting ``the Secretary,
but not more frequently than once every 6 months,''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(II) Use of facilities for
requalification.--The Secretary shall
allow a Federal flight deck officer to
requalify to carry a firearm under the
program through training at a private
or government-owned gun range certified
to provide firearm requalification
training.
``(III) Self-reporting.--The
Secretary shall determine that a
Federal flight deck officer has met the
requirements to requalify to carry a
firearm under the program if--
``(aa) the officer reports
to the Secretary that the
officer has participated in a
sufficient number of hours of
training to requalify to carry
a firearm under the program;
and
``(bb) the administrator of
the facility at which the
officer conducted the
requalification training
verifies that the officer
participated in that number of
hours of training.''.
(c) Limitations on Training.--Section 44921(c)(2) of such title is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(D) Limitations on training.--
``(i) Initial training.--The Secretary may
require--
``(I) initial training of not more
than 5 days for a pilot to be deputized
as a Federal flight deck officer;
``(II) the pilot to be physically
present at the training facility for
not more than 2 days of such training;
and
``(III) not more than 3 days of
such training to be in the form of
certified online training administered
by the Department of Homeland Security.
``(ii) Recurrent training.--The Secretary
may require--
``(I) recurrent training of not
more than 2 days, not more frequently
than once every 5 years, for a pilot to
maintain deputization as a Federal
flight deck officer;
``(II) the pilot to be physically
present at the training facility for a
full-day training session for not more
than one day of such training; and
``(III) not more than one day of
such training to be in the form of
certified online training administered
by the Department of Homeland
Security.''.
(d) Other Measures To Facilitate Training.--Section 44921(e) of
such title is amended--
(1) by striking ``Pilots participating'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--Pilots participating''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Facilitation of training.--
``(A) Time off for training.--An air carrier shall
permit a Federal flight deck officer or a pilot seeking
to be deputized as a Federal flight deck officer to
take a reasonable amount of leave from work to
participate in initial and recurrent training for the
program. An air carrier shall not be obligated to
provide such an officer or pilot compensation for such
leave.
``(B) Practice ammunition.--At the request of a
Federal flight deck officer, the Secretary shall
provide to the officer sufficient practice ammunition
to conduct at least one practice course every month.''.
SEC. 3. CARRIAGE OF FIREARMS BY FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK OFFICERS.
(a) General Authority.--Section 44921(f) of title 49, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively; and
(2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall authorize a Federal
flight deck officer to carry a firearm while engaged in
providing air transportation or intrastate air transportation.
The authority provided to a Federal flight deck officer under
this paragraph includes the authority to carry a firearm--
``(A) on the officer's body, loaded, and holstered;
``(B) when traveling to a flight duty assignment,
throughout the duty assignment, and when traveling from
a flight duty assignment to the officer's home or place
where the officer is residing when traveling; and
``(C) in the passenger cabin and while traveling in
a cockpit jump seat.
``(2) Concealed carry.--A Federal flight deck officer shall
make reasonable efforts to keep the officer's firearm concealed
when in public.
``(3) Purchase of firearm by officer.--Notwithstanding
subsection (c)(1), a Federal flight deck officer may purchase a
firearm and carry that firearm aboard an aircraft of which the
officer is the pilot in accordance with this section if the
firearm is of a type that may be used under the program.''.
(b) Carriage of Firearms on International Flights.--Paragraph (5)
of section 44921(f) of such title, as redesignated by subsection
(a)(1), is amended to read as follows:
``(5) Carrying firearms outside united states.--
``(A) In general.--In consultation with the
Secretary of State, the Secretary--
``(i) may take such action as may be
necessary to ensure that a Federal flight deck
officer may carry a firearm in a foreign
country whenever necessary to participate in
the program; and
``(ii) shall take such actions as are
within the authority of the Secretary to ensure
that a Federal flight deck officer may carry a
firearm while engaged in providing foreign air
transportation.
``(B) Consistency with federal air marshal
program.--The Secretary shall work to make policies
relating to the carriage of firearms on flights in
foreign air transportation by Federal flight deck
officers consistent with the policies of the Federal
air marshal program for carrying firearms on such
flights.''.
(c) Carriage of Firearm in Passenger Cabin.--
(1) Rule of construction.--Section 44921 of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(l) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require a Federal flight deck officer to place a firearm
in a locked container, or in any other manner render the firearm
unavailable, when the cockpit door is opened.''.
(2) Conforming repeal.--Section 44921(b)(3) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended--
(A) by striking subparagraph (G); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (H) through (N)
as subparagraphs (G) through (M), respectively.
(d) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall--
(1) prescribe regulations on the proper storage of firearms
when a Federal flight deck officer is at home or where the
officer is residing when traveling; and
(2) revise the procedural requirements established under
section 44921(b)(1) of title 49, United States Code, to
implement the amendments made by subsection (c).
SEC. 4. PHYSICAL STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK OFFICERS.
Section 44921(d)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as
clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), respectively, and by moving such
clauses, as so redesignated, 2 ems to the right;
(2) by striking ``A pilot is'' and inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--A pilot is''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Consistency with requirements for certain
medical certificates.--In establishing standards under
subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary may not establish
medical or physical standards for a pilot to become a
Federal flight deck officer that are inconsistent with
or more stringent than the requirements of the Federal
Aviation Administration for the issuance of a first- or
second-class airman medical certificate under part 67
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any
corresponding similar regulation or ruling).''.
SEC. 5. TRANSFER OF FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK OFFICERS FROM INACTIVE TO
ACTIVE STATUS.
Section 44921(d) of such title is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(5) Transfer from inactive to active status.--A pilot
deputized as a Federal flight deck officer who moves to
inactive status may return to active status after completing
one program of recurrent training described in subsection
(c).''.
SEC. 6. FACILITATION OF SECURITY SCREENING OF FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK
OFFICERS.
Section 44921 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by
section 3(c)(1), is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``(m) Facilitation of Security Screening of Federal Flight Deck
Officers.--
``(1) Eligibility for expedited screening.--The Secretary
shall allow a Federal flight deck officer to be screened
through the crew member identity verification program of the
Transportation Security Administration (commonly known as the
`Known Crew Member program') when entering the sterile area of
an airport.
``(2) Prohibition on paperwork.--The Secretary may not
require a Federal flight deck officer to fill out any forms or
paperwork when entering the sterile area of an airport.
``(3) Sterile area defined.--In this subsection, the term
`sterile area' has the meaning given that term in section
1540.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (or any
corresponding similar regulation or ruling).''.
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
Section 44921 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this
Act, is further amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``Under Secretary of
Transportation for Security'' and inserting ``Secretary of
Homeland Security'';
(2) in subsection (d)(4), by striking ``may,'' and
inserting ``may'';
(3) in subsection (i)(2), by striking ``the Under Secretary
may'' and inserting ``may'';
(4) in subsection (k)--
(A) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and
(B) by striking ``Applicability'' and all that
follows through ``This section'' and inserting
``Applicability.--This section'';
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(n) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Pilot.--The term `pilot' means an individual who has
final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety
of the flight or any other flight deck crew member.
``(2) All-cargo air transportation.--The term `air
transportation' includes all-cargo air transportation.''; and
(6) by striking ``Under Secretary'' each place it appears
and inserting ``Secretary''.
SEC. 8. REFUNDS OF CERTAIN SECURITY SERVICE FEES FOR AIR CARRIERS WITH
FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK OFFICERS ON ALL FLIGHTS.
Section 44940 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(j) Refund of Fees for Air Carriers With Federal Flight Deck
Officers on All Flights.--From fees received in a fiscal year under
subsection (a)(1), each air carrier that certifies to the Secretary of
Homeland Security that all flights operated by the air carrier have on
board a pilot deputized as a Federal flight deck officer under section
44921 shall receive an amount equal to 10 percent of the fees collected
under subsection (a)(1) from passengers on flights operated by that air
carrier in that fiscal year.''.
SEC. 9. TREATMENT OF INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK OFFICERS AS
SENSITIVE SECURITY INFORMATION.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall revise section
15.5(b)(11) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to classify
information about pilots deputized as Federal flight deck officers
under section 44921 of title 49, United States Code, as sensitive
security information in a manner consistent with the classification of
information about Federal air marshals.
SEC. 10. REGULATIONS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall prescribe such
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this Act and the
amendments made by this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation Security.
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