S5487-118

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act or the VETS Safe Travel Act.

2. Availability of PreCheck Program to certain severely injured or disabled veterans Section 44927 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 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. A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who— 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; 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— loss, or loss use of, an extremity; paralysis or partial paralysis; or permanent blindness; and 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. 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. The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly— 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 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. 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. 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— engage appropriate veterans service organizations and other relevant organizations, as appropriate, to assess the awareness of veterans of relevant Transportation Security Administration programs; and examine the need and feasibility of other measures to improve travel security procedures for disabled veterans. 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 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). (g)Availability of PreCheck Program to certain severely injured or disabled veterans(1)In generalA 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 describedA 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)LimitationThe 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..