View all text of Subchapter I [§ 44901 - § 44929]
§ 44924. Repair station security
(a)Security Review and Audit.—To ensure the security of maintenance and repair work conducted on air carrier aircraft and components at foreign repair stations, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall complete a security review and audit of foreign repair stations that are certified by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and that work on air carrier aircraft and components. The review shall be completed not later than 6 months after the date on which the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration issues regulations under subsection (f).
(b)Addressing Security Concerns.—The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall require a foreign repair station to address the security issues and vulnerabilities identified in a security audit conducted under subsection (a) within 90 days of providing notice to the repair station of the security issues and vulnerabilities so identified and shall notify the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration that a deficiency was identified in the security audit.
(c)Suspensions and Revocations of Certificates.—
(1)Failure to carry out effective security measures.—If, after the 90th day on which a notice is provided to a foreign repair station under subsection (b), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration determines that the foreign repair station does not maintain and carry out effective security measures, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall notify the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration of the determination. Upon receipt of the determination, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall suspend the certification of the repair station until such time as the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration determines that the repair station maintains and carries out effective security measures and transmits the determination to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(2)Immediate security risk.—If the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration determines that a foreign repair station poses an immediate security risk, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall notify the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration of the determination. Upon receipt of the determination, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall revoke the certification of the repair station.
(3)Procedures for appeals.—The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall establish procedures for appealing a revocation of a certificate under this subsection.
(d)Failure To Meet Audit Deadline.—If the security audits required by subsection (a) are not completed on or before the date that is 6 months after the date on which the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration issues regulations under subsection (f), the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall be barred from certifying any foreign repair station (other than a station that was previously certified, or is in the process of certification, by the Administration under this part) until such audits are completed for existing stations.
(e)Priority for Audits.—In conducting the audits described in subsection (a), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall give priority to foreign repair stations located in countries identified by the Government as posing the most significant security risks.
(f)Regulations.—The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall issue final regulations to ensure the security of foreign and domestic aircraft repair stations.
(g)Report to Congress.—If the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration does not issue final regulations before the deadline specified in subsection (f), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing an explanation as to why the deadline was not met and a schedule for issuing the final regulations.
(Added Pub. L. 108–176, title VI, § 611(b)(1), Dec. 12, 2003, 117 Stat. 2571; amended Pub. L. 110–53, title XVI, § 1616(b), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 488; Pub. L. 115–254, div. K, title I, § 1991(d)(20), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3637.)