House Bill Would Create Ombuds for Air Marshals

Legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) would require the Transportation Security Administration to establish an Office of the Ombudsman for Federal Air Marshal Service. This is at least the third such effort by Jackson Lee.  As in past versions, the bill is pretty sketchy on the details of the FAMS Ombuds program.

The bill (HR 64-FAMS Augmentation Act of 2013) states in relevant part:

(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Assistant Secretary shall establish in the Federal Air Marshal Service an Office of the Ombudsman.
(2) APPOINTMENT.—The head of the Office shall be the Ombudsman, who shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary.
(3) DUTIES.—The Ombudsman shall carry out programs and activities to improve morale, training, and quality of life issues in the Service, including through implementation of the recommendations of the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security and the Comptroller General.
(4) CAREER RESERVED POSITION.—The position of Ombudsman shall be treated as a career reserved position, as defined by section 3132(a)(8) of title 5, United States Code.
(5) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts to be appropriated pursuant to section 6 of the FAMS Augmentation Act of 2013, $1,000,000 may be used to carry out this subsection for each of fiscal years 2013 and 2014.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.  (Congress.gov.)

Related posts: House Bill Would Establish Ombuds for Federal Air Marshals; Representative Reintroduces Bill to Create Ombuds for Federal Air Marshals.