COVERT Act of 2008

To amend the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to prohibit advance notice to certain individuals, including security screeners, of covert testing of security screening procedures for the purpose of enhancing transportation security at airports, and for other purposes.

6/18/2008--Passed House amended. (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on June 5, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Catching Operational Vulnerabilities by Ensuring Random Testing Act of 2008, or the COVERT Act of 2008 - Amends the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to make sure that advance notice of a covert test of a transportation security system is not provided to any individual (including any security screener) before completion of the test, except:
(1) that such information may be provided to certain federal, state, and local government employees, officers, and contractors (including military personnel); and
(2) an individual conducting such a test may disclose his or her status if a security screener or other non-covered employee identifies such tester as a potential threat. Requires the head of each covert testing office to make sure that a covert testing person or group is accompanied by a cover team to monitor the test and confirm the identity of personnel involved. States, however, that a cover team is not required to be present during a test of the screening of persons or baggage at an aviation security checkpoint if the test:
(1) is approved by the Federal Security Director for the airport; and
(2) is administered under an aviation screening assessment program of the Department of Homeland Security. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to study and report to Congress on the impact of implementing covert testing procedures under this Act on the Department's efforts to improve transportation security.


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Sponsor

• Rep. Nita Lowey [D, NY-18]

Committees

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• 2 more
  • House Homeland Security
  • House Homeland Security
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Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.5909

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
April 24, 2008		June 18, 2008

Show All Actions (14 actions)Hide Actions

All Bill Actions

• Jun 19, 2008: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Jun 18, 2008. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
• Jun 18, 2008: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5909.
• Jun 18, 2008: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Jun 18, 2008: Mr. Thompson (MS) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• Added to calendar on Jun 05, 2008: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 431..
• Jun 05, 2008: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 110-687.
• Added to calendar on May 20, 2008: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent..
• May 20, 2008: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• May 20, 2008: Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Discharged.
• May 01, 2008: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• Apr 28, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection.
• Apr 24, 2008: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
• Introduced on Apr 24, 2008.

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Related Issue Areas:

• Transportation workers
• Government employees
• Federal employees
• Department of Homeland Security
• 11 more
• Transportation safety
• Security measures
• Infrastructure
• Governmental investigations
• Government publicity
• Government information
• Congressional investigations
• Congress
• Aviation safety
• Airports
• Transportation

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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In the News

June 18, 2008 Legislation Ahead to Tighten Airport Security

HR 5909 would prohibit government employees from tipping off airport screeners about covert tests of transportation security. Over the last year, ...

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April 23, 2008 HR 5909, To amend the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to ...

HR 5909 would amend the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to prohibit advance notice to certain individuals, including security screeners, of covert testing of security screening procedures for the purpose of enhancing ...

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April 23, 2008 Bill Action: Introduced: HR 5909: To amend the Aviation and ...

Nita Lowey [D-NY] introduced HR 5909: To amend the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to prohibit advance notice to certain individuals, including security screeners, of covert testing of security screening procedures for the ...

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