S. 3376 — Cargo Security Innovation Act

This section directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, to establish a pilot project to evaluate advanced law enforcement and cargo security technologies in combatting cargo theft at up to 6 designated intermodal transportation hubs or rail yards (pilot sites) with elevated theft levels, including through grants to eligible consortia. It requires designation of pilot sites not later than 1 year after enactment, ensuring geographic and operational diversity and limiting sites to no more than 1 per state, and prohibits deployment of technology produced by a foreign entity of concern (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 18741). Eligible consortia—comprising private transportation entities (e.g., intermodal hub or rail yard owners/operators, motor/rail/water/air carriers), applicable rail police officers, and at least 1 state or local law enforcement entity—may apply for grants to fund technology acquisition and deployment, personnel training, federal data interoperability, evaluation, and related activities. It requires grant recipients to maintain records for audits; mandates a TSA report to specified congressional committees (Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; Transportation and Infrastructure of the House) not later than 2 years after first technology deployment at a pilot site, covering deployed technologies, effectiveness against theft, lessons learned, cost-benefit analyses, data, and scaling recommendations; sunsets the pilot project 3 years after initial deployment at each site; and directs the Government Accountability Office to evaluate overall effectiveness and report to the committees within 1 year after all sites terminate.