ARMS Act

This bill tells the TSA to secretly test airport security to find and fix weak spots. Within 180 days, TSA must create a headquarters-run program to do risk-based tests of passenger and baggage screening that produce solid, useful data. It must run at least three test scenarios each year and include every large “Category X” airport at least once, and keep a long-term program guided by yearly reviews of new threats. The goal is to gather statistically valid results that reveal gaps not covered by current security checks.

When a problem is found, TSA has strict timelines: do a root-cause review within 90 days, decide within 150 days whether to fix it (and set milestones and a finish date) or explain why not, and then retest within 180 days after the fix to make sure it worked. Each year by November 30, TSA must compile results, track fixes and retests, explain any unfixed issues, and assess trends. TSA must also post a public summary for Category X airports showing the total number of tests, overall pass/fail rates, and general trends, without revealing sensitive details. An independent review by the Government Accountability Office will assess the program within three years.

• Who is affected: TSA, large airports (Category X), and air travelers who rely on safer screening.
• What changes: secret, risk-based testing; required timelines to fix and retest problems; annual reports and a public summary of performance; ongoing program based on emerging threats.
• When: program set up within 180 days; 90/150/180-day deadlines after a problem is found; annual reporting by November 30; outside review within 3 years .