Number: 111-10
Date: February 5, 2009

House Passes H.R. 559, the "Fair, Accurate, Secure, and
Timely (FAST) Redress Act of 2009”

 

On February 3, 2009, the House passed H.R. 559, the "Fair, Accurate, Secure, and Timely (FAST) Redress Act of 2009", by a vote of 413 to 3. No action has yet been taken in the Senate. The legislation would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish an appeal and redress process for individuals wrongly delayed or prohibited from boarding commercial aircraft.

The bill contains the following provisions of interest to SSA:

Establishment of Appeal and Redress Process

•  Would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish, not later than 30 days after enactment, a timely and fair process for individuals who believe they were delayed or prohibited from boarding a commercial aircraft or who were denied a right, benefit, or privilege because they were wrongly identified as a threat when screened against any terrorist watchlist or database used by the Transportation Security Administration.

Intergovernmental Efforts

•  Would allow the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into agreements with other Federal agencies to improve the appeal and redress process and, for other purposes, such as to verify an individual's identity and personally identifiable information.

Handling of Personally Identifiable Information

•  Would require the Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with its Chief Privacy Officer, to engage in cooperative agreements with appropriate Federal agencies, on a reimbursable basis, to ensure that legal name changes are properly reflected in any terrorist watchlist or database and Comprehensive Cleared List to assure the most accurate lists of identifications possible.

•  Would provide that the Privacy Act protections afforded individuals under Section 552a of Title 5 of the United States Code would not prohibit the sharing of legal name changes among Federal agencies and entities for this purpose.

The provisions of interest to SSA would be effective upon enactment.