To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prepare a comprehensive security assessment of the transportation security card program, and for other purposes.
Public Law 114-278 · H.R. 710 · 114th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Dec 16, 2016 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. Bennie Thompson, Rep. Candice Miller
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Sec. 1) This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to commence actions to improve its process for vetting individuals with access to secure areas of vessels and maritime facilities.
These actions shall include:
• conducting a comprehensive risk analysis of security threat assessment procedures, including identifying procedures that need additional internal controls as well as best practices for quality assurance at every stage of the assessment;
• implementing such internal controls and best practices;
• improving fraud detection techniques;
• updating the guidance provided to Trusted Agents (Credentialing Office) regarding the vetting process and related regulations;
• finalizing a manual for such agents and adjudicators on the vetting process; and
• establishing quality controls to ensure consistent procedures to review adjudication decisions and terrorism vetting decisions.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall commission a national laboratory, a university-based center within the Science and Technology Directorate's centers of excellence network, or a qualified federally-funded research and development center to conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Program at enhancing security and reducing security risks for maritime facilities and vessels that pose a high risk of being involved in a transportation security incident.
The assessment shall review:
• the credentialing process,
• the process for renewing TWIC applications, and
• the security value of the TWIC program.
If the assessment identifies a deficiency in effectiveness of the TWIC Program, DHS shall submit to Congress a corrective action plan that:
• responds to assessment findings and includes an implementation plan with benchmarks, and
• shall be considered in any DHS rulemaking with respect to the TWIC Program.
The DHS Inspector General must review and report on the corrective action plan.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Homeland Security Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 25 actions.
- Dec 16, 2016Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-278.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 15, 2016FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 13, 2016Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and agree to the Senate amendment.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Dec 12, 2016FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 10, 2016FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Apr 25, 2016CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 436.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-244.
- May 20, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Apr 22, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Feb 11, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Feb 10, 2015FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 710.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Carter (GA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Feb 9, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
- Feb 4, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 5183SenateSen. John ThuneR-SD· offered Dec 10, 2016Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Dec 10, 2016: Amendment SA 5183 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.