SAFE While Traveling Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7471 To require frontline personnel of the Department of Homeland Security, air carriers, rail carriers, and employees of airports and train stations to wear personal protective equipment when interacting with members of the public, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 1, 2020 Mr. RUSH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require frontline personnel of the Department of Home- land Security, air carriers, rail carriers, and employees of airports and train stations to wear personal protective equipment when interacting with members of the public, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing All Funda- 4 mental Equipment While Traveling Act’’ or the ‘‘SAFE 5 While Traveling Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:43 Jul 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7471.IH H7471 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7471 IH SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO THE USE OF PER- 1 SONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT BY FRONT- 2 LINE PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 3 HOMELAND SECURITY. 4 (a) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 15 days after the 5 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home- 6 land Security shall provide all frontline personnel of the 7 Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Cus- 8 toms and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Cus- 9 toms Enforcement, and the Transportation Security Ad- 10 ministration, with the appropriate level of personal protec- 11 tive equipment, including masks, gloves, eyewear, and any 12 other necessary equipment, to be worn by such personnel 13 when interacting with members of the public for the dura- 14 tion of the public health emergency declared relating to 15 COVID–19 and any other public health emergency de- 16 clared after the date of enactment of this Act. 17 (b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of Homeland 18 Security shall consult with the Director of the Centers for 19 Disease Control and Prevention and the Assistant Sec- 20 retary for Occupational Safety and Health of the Occupa- 21 tional Safety and Health Administration regarding the re- 22 quirement under subsection (a). 23 (c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘frontline 24 personnel of the Department of Homeland Security’’ 25 means any officer, agent, or employee of the Department 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:43 Jul 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7471.IH H7471 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7471 IH of Homeland Security, and any private sector individual 1 working pursuant to a contract or agreement with the De- 2 partment, whose duties or responsibilities include inter- 3 action with members of the public. 4 SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO THE USE OF PER- 5 SONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT BY FRONT- 6 LINE PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 7 TRANSPORTATION. 8 The Secretary of Transportation shall take such ac- 9 tions as are necessary to require, for the period beginning 10 on the date of enactment of this Act and for the duration 11 of the public health emergency declared relating to 12 COVID–19, and for the duration of any other public 13 health emergency declared after the date of enactment of 14 this Act, the air carriers, rail carriers, owners and opera- 15 tors of airports, and owners and operators of train sta- 16 tions to— 17 (1) require passengers of such air carrier or rail 18 carrier or individuals present at such airport or train 19 station to wear personal protective equipment, in- 20 cluding masks, gloves, and eyewear (as appropriate), 21 while traveling on an aircraft or train of such air 22 carrier or rail carrier or while present at an airport 23 or train station; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:43 Jul 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7471.IH H7471 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7471 IH (2) provide employees with, and require employ- 1 ees to wear, personal protective equipment, including 2 masks, gloves, and eyewear (as appropriate), while 3 working on an aircraft or train of such air carrier 4 or rail carrier or while working at an airport or train 5 station. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:43 Jul 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7471.IH H7471 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS