Cuban Airport Security Act of 2016

Cuban Airport Security Act of 2016

This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to report to Congress on specified aspects of security measures at Cuban airports that: (1) are served by U.S. aircraft operators, or (2) serve as last point of departure locations for foreign air carriers. The Government Accountability Office shall submit to Congress an audit of the report.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall establish agreements with the Government of Cuba to allow:

• the Federal Air Marshal Service to conduct missions on regularly scheduled passenger air flights between the United States and Cuba, and
• TSA inspectors to access all areas of last point of departure airports in Cuba to assess security.

No agreement dated on or after January 1, 2016, to expand air flights between the United States and Cuba may be permitted until: (1) the required report and audit have been submitted, (2) the required agreements have been established, and (3) specified hiring and training requirements have been met.

DHS, rather than the Department of Transportation, shall: (1) assess the effectiveness of security standards at foreign airports, and (2) take other specified actions if an airport fails to maintain effective security measures.