VETS Safe Travel Act

[118th Congress Public Law 238]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 138 STAT. 2923]]

Public Law 118-238
118th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To provide PreCheck to certain severely injured or disabled veterans, 
     and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Jan. 4, 2025 -  [H.R. 7365]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Veterans 
Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 49 USC 40101 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe 
Travel Act'' or the ``VETS Safe Travel Act''.
SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF PRECHECK PROGRAM TO CERTAIN SEVERELY 
                    INJURED OR DISABLED VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 44927 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Availability of PreCheck Program to Certain Severely Injured 
or Disabled Veterans.--
            ``(1) In general.--A veteran described in paragraph (2) is 
        eligible for security screening under the PreCheck Program under 
        section 44919 at no cost to the veteran if the veteran is able 
        to meet the background check and other security requirements for 
        participation in the Program.
            ``(2) Veterans described.--A veteran described in this 
        paragraph is a veteran who--
                    ``(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system 
                of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and 
                operated under section 1705 of title 38, United States 
                Code;
                    ``(B) has been determined by the Secretary of 
                Veterans Affairs to have a service-connected disability 
                under section 1110 or 1131 of such title, as the case 
                may be, and such disability has been determined by such 
                Secretary to have resulted in--
                          ``(i) loss, or loss use of, an extremity;
                          ``(ii) paralysis or partial paralysis; or
                          ``(iii) permanent blindness; and
                    ``(C) as a result of a loss, paralysis or partial 
                paralysis, or blindness described in subparagraph (B), 
                requires the use of a wheelchair, prosthetic limb, or 
                other assistive device to aid with mobility.
            ``(3) Limitation.--The Administrator of the Transportation 
        Security Administration shall carry out this subsection subject 
        to the availability of appropriations and may not increase fees 
        for enrollment in the PreCheck Program for such purpose.''.

    (b) <<NOTE: Process. Deadlines. 49 USC 44927 note.>>  Coordination 
on Implementation.--The Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly--

[[Page 138 STAT. 2924]]

            (1) implement a process under which a veteran described in 
        paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of section 44927 of title 49, 
        United States Code, as added by subsection (a), can receive the 
        benefits under such subsection by not later than one year after 
        the date of enactment of this Act; and
            (2) <<NOTE: Briefing.>>  provide to the Committee on 
        Homeland Security and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
        House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 
        and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
        of the Senate a briefing on the status of implementing the 
        process required by paragraph (1) by not later than one year 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.

    (c) <<NOTE: 49 USC 44927 note.>>  Outreach for Disabled Veterans on 
Availability of Transportation Security Administration Programs.--
            (1) <<NOTE: Process.>>  Coordination.--The Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs and the Administrator of the Transportation 
        Security Administration shall implement a process under which 
        such Secretary provides to disabled veterans effective outreach 
        regarding Transportation Security Administration programs 
        designed to improve the screening process for passengers with 
        disabilities.
            (2) Further enhancements to ease air travel for wounded 
        warriors and other disabled veterans.--Notwithstanding 
        subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code 
        (commonly referred to as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act''), or 
        any other provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
        in coordination with the Administrator of the Transportation 
        Security Administration, shall--
                    (A) <<NOTE: Assessment.>>  engage appropriate 
                veterans service organizations and other relevant 
                organizations, as appropriate, to assess the awareness 
                of veterans of relevant Transportation Security 
                Administration programs; and
                    (B) <<NOTE: Examination.>>  examine the need and 
                feasibility of other measures to improve travel security 
                procedures for disabled veterans.
            (3) Briefing requirement. <<NOTE: Deadline.>> --Not later 
        than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Administrator of the 
        Transportation Security Administration shall jointly provide to 
        the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Homeland

[[Page 138 STAT. 2925]]

         Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a briefing on the status of the 
        implementation of paragraphs (1) and (2).

    Approved January 4, 2025.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 7365:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 118-846, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Homeland Security).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
            Dec. 10, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 19, considered and passed Senate.

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