S. 3303: A bill to require security screening of passengers at airports to be carried out by private screening companies, and for other purposes.

112th Congress · introduced 2012-06-14 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-06-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to require security screening of passengers at airports to be carried out by private screening companies, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

Requires the screening of passengers on flights and flight segments originating in the United States to be conducted by employees of a private screening company. Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration [TSA]) to enter into contracts with private screening companies for such services. Grants airport operators and private screening companies the authority to employ and terminate passenger screeners. Requires the Assistant Secretary (currently, the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security [Department of Transportation (DOT)]) to approve all airport operator applications to have the airport screening of passengers and property carried out by a qualified private screening company. (Thus transfers the security screening opt-out program from DOT to the Department of Homeland Security [DHS], and denies the Assistant Secretary authority to deny any opt-out application.) Amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to declare that provisions allowing an employer to make an agreement with a labor organization to require union membership as a condition of employment shall not apply to airport or railway private passenger screening company employers or employees (right to work).

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to require security screening of passengers at airports to be carried out by private screening companies, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY] reported raising $4.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s3303.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s3303 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112