(a) Any person may file a complaint with the Administrator with respect to any act or omission by any person in contravention of 49 U.S.C., subtitle VII, part A, (except sections 44902, 44903(d), 44907(a)-(d)(1)(A), 44907(d)(1)(C)-(f), 44908, and 44909) administered by the Administrator, or a regulation prescribed or order issued under any of those provisions. This section does not apply to complaints against the Administrator or employees of the TSA acting within the scope of their employment.
(b) Complaints filed under this section must—
(1) Be submitted in writing and identified as a complaint filed for the purpose of seeking an appropriate order or other enforcement action;
(2) Be submitted to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, by following the instructions to complete a “complaint” contact form by following the instructions on the TSA Web site, currently accessible at http://www.tsa.gov/contact/index.shtm.
(3) Set forth the name and address, if known, of each person who is the subject of the complaint and, with respect to each person, the specific provisions of the statute, regulation, or order that the person filing the complaint believes were violated;
(4) Contain a concise, but complete, statement of the facts relied upon to substantiate each allegation;
(5) State the name, address, and telephone number of the person filing the complaint; and
(6) Be signed by the person filing the complaint or a duly authorized representative.
(c) TSA will consider complaints that do not meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section as reports under § 1503.1.
(d) TSA will place complaints that meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section in the docket and will mail a copy to each person named in the complaint.
(e) TSA will refer any complaint against a member of the Armed Forces of the United States acting in the performance of official duties to the Secretary of the Department concerned in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 1503.407.
(f) The person named in the complaint must file an answer within 20 days after service of a copy of the complaint.
(g) After the complaint has been answered or after the allotted time in which to file an answer has expired, the Administrator, or a designated official, will determine if there are reasonable grounds for investigating the complaint.
(h) If the Administrator, or a designated official, determines that a complaint does not state facts that warrant an investigation or action, the Administrator or designated official may dismiss the complaint without a hearing and, if so, will provide the reason for the dismissal, in writing, to the person who filed the complaint and the person(s) named in the complaint.
(i) If the Administrator, or a designated official, determines that reasonable grounds exist, an informal investigation may be initiated. Each person named in the complaint will be advised which official has been delegated the responsibility under § 1503.203 for conducting the investigation.
(j) If the investigation substantiates the allegations set forth in the complaint, a notice of proposed order may be issued or other enforcement action taken in accordance with this part.
(k) The complaint and other pleadings and official TSA records relating to the disposition of the complaint are maintained in current docket form at: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, Office of the Chief Counsel, TSA-2, Complaint Docket, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 20598-6002. If this location changes, TSA will give notice of the change by publishing a notice in the Federal Register.
(1) Generally. Any person interested in reviewing or obtaining a copy of a record may do so only by submitting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request under 5 U.S.C. 552, et seq. and 49 CFR part 7. Portions of the record may be exempt from disclosure pursuant to FOIA.
(2) Docket files or documents not for public disclosure. (i) Only the following persons may review docket files or particular documents that are not for public disclosure:
(A) Parties to the proceedings.
(B) Representatives designated in writing by a party.
(C) Persons who have a need to know as determined by the Administrator.
(ii) Those persons with permission to review these documents or docket files may view the materials at the Complaint Docket, TSA Headquarters, Visitor Center, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, Virginia 20598-6002, Attn: Office of Chief Counsel. If this address changes, TSA will give notice by publishing a notice in the Federal Register. Persons with access to these records may have a copy of the records after payment of reasonable costs.