[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
TAKING TO THE SKIES: EXAMINING TSA'S STRAT-
EGY FOR ADDRESSING INCREASED SUMMER TRAVEL
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
TRANSPORTATION AND
MARITIME SECURITY
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
JULY 20, 2021
__________
Serial No. 117-24
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
45-828 PDF WASHINGTON : 2021
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COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi, Chairman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas John Katko, New York
James R. Langevin, Rhode Island Michael T. McCaul, Texas
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey Clay Higgins, Louisiana
J. Luis Correa, California Michael Guest, Mississippi
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan Dan Bishop, North Carolina
Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
Al Green, Texas Ralph Norman, South Carolina
Yvette D. Clarke, New York Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Eric Swalwell, California Diana Harshbarger, Tennessee
Dina Titus, Nevada Andrew S. Clyde, Georgia
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida
Kathleen M. Rice, New York Jake LaTurner, Kansas
Val Butler Demings, Florida Peter Meijer, Michigan
Nanette Diaz Barragan, California Kat Cammack, Florida
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey August Pfluger, Texas
Elaine G. Luria, Virginia Andrew R. Garbarino, New York
Tom Malinowski, New Jersey
Ritchie Torres, New York
Hope Goins, Staff Director
Daniel Kroese, Minority Staff Director
Natalie Nixon, Clerk
------
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND MARITIME SECURITY
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey, Chairwoman
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida,
Dina Titus, Nevada Ranking Member
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
Elaine G. Luria, Virginia Ralph Norman, South Carolina
Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi (ex Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
officio) John Katko, New York (ex officio)
Alex Marston, Subcomittee Staff Director
Kathryn Maxwell, Minority Subcomittee Staff Director
Alice Hayes, Subcomittee Clerk
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Statements
The Honorable Bonnie Watson Coleman, a Representative in Congress
From the State of New Jersey, and Chairwoman, Subcommittee on
Transportation and Maritime Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 1
Prepared Statement............................................. 2
The Honorable Carlos A. Gimenez, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Florida, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on
Transportation and Maritime Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 3
Prepared Statement............................................. 3
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on
Homeland Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 4
Prepared Statement............................................. 5
Witnesses
Mr. Darby LaJoye, Executive Assistant Administrator for Security
Operations, Transportation Security Administration, U.S.
Department of Homeland Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 6
Joint Prepared Statement....................................... 8
Mr. Michael Ondocin, Executive Assistant Administrator for Law
Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, Transportation
Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 11
Joint Prepared Statement....................................... 8
Appendix
Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for the Transportation
Security Administration........................................ 27
TAKING TO THE SKIES: EXAMINING TSA'S STRATEGY FOR ADDRESSING INCREASED
SUMMER TRAVEL
----------
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Subcommittee on Transportation
and Maritime Security,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:03 a.m., via
Webex, Hon. Bonnie Watson Coleman [Chairwoman of the
subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Watson Coleman, Payne, Titus,
Gottheimer, Luria, Gimenez, Van Drew, Norman, and Miller-Meeks.
Also present: Representative Thompson.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. The Subcommittee on
Transportation and Maritime Security will come to order.
Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the
subcommittee in recess at any point.
Welcome to the Transportation and Maritime Security
Subcommittee's hearing entitled ``Taking to the Skies:
Examining TSA's Strategy for Addressing Increased Summer
Travel''. Thank you to Ranking Member Gimenez and our panel of
witnesses for joining us.
As rates of vaccination against COVID-19 increase across
the country, a growing number of travelers are taking to the
skies once more. The numbers are striking. Indeed, on the first
day of this month TSA screened more people in a day than it did
on the same day in 2019, before the pandemic. The daily number
of travelers screened at TSA checkpoints crossed the 2 million
threshold multiple times in June.
This is leading to fuller flights, longer lines at
airports, and it seems, higher tension as passengers reacquaint
themselves with the old and the new rules of flying.
Today we will hear from our witnesses about how TSA is
managing this increase in summer travel, as well as crucial
information about TSA's role in addressing incidents of unruly
passenger behavior at checkpoints and in the air. As travel
increases, our witnesses will share what efforts TSA is
undertaking to recruit and retain more Transportation Security
Officers (TSOs) to ensure airports have adequate staffing.
In addition, many of my colleagues and I are disturbed by
the unacceptable rise in violence on planes and at airports
that we have seen in the news. As Chair of this subcommittee, I
am particularly perturbed by the number of violent assaults
against our TSOs in recent months. More than 70 TSOs have been
assaulted since the start of the pandemic. These hardworking
men and women, they have been on the front lines throughout the
pandemic and simply should not have to endure this kind of
treatment.
Another alarming trend we are seeing is the uptick in
firearms, most of them loaded, that have been found in
passengers' carry-on baggage. According to TSA, 2,800 firearms
have been caught at checkpoints so far this year. I am hopeful
that our witnesses will share their perspectives on these
encounters and what can be done to prevent them. While the pace
of recovery in air travel is encouraging, we must not forget
that the Coronavirus, and particularly the dangerous Delta
variant, is still at large. The mask mandate aboard planes and
in airports remains in place until September 13 and now is not
the time to let our foot off the gas in terms of doing all that
we can to prevent the virus' spread. As more travelers take to
the air, I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about
TSA's strategy thus far and future plans.
Thank you.
[The statement of Chairwoman Watson Coleman follows:]
Statement of Chairwoman Bonnie Watson Coleman
Good morning, and welcome to the Transportation and Maritime
Security Subcommittee's hearing entitled ``Taking to the Skies:
Examining TSA's Strategy for Addressing Increased Summer Travel''.
As rates of vaccination against COVID-19 increase across the
country, a growing number of travelers are taking to the skies once
more.
The numbers are striking. Indeed, on the first day of this month,
TSA screened more people in a day that it did on the same day in 2019,
before the pandemic. The daily number of travelers screened at TSA
checkpoints crossed the 2 million threshold multiple times in June.
This is leading to fuller flights, longer lines at airports, and,
it seems, higher tensions as passengers reacquaint themselves with the
old and new rules of flying.
Today we will hear from our witnesses about how TSA is managing
this increase in summer travel, as well as crucial information about
TSA's role in addressing incidents of unruly passenger behavior at
checkpoints and in the air.
As travel increases, our witnesses will share what efforts TSA is
undertaking to recruit and retain more TSOs to ensure airports have
adequate staffing.
In addition, many of my colleagues and I are disturbed by the
unacceptable rise in violence on planes and at airports that we have
seen in the news.
As Chair of this subcommittee, I am particularly perturbed by the
number of violent assaults against our Transportation Security Officers
(TSOs) in recent months. More than 70 TSOs have been assaulted since
the start of the pandemic.
These hardworking men and women have been on the front lines
throughout the pandemic, and simply should not have to endure this kind
of treatment.
Another alarming trend we are seeing is the uptick in firearms--
most of them loaded--that have been found in passengers' carry-on
baggage.
According to TSA, 2,800 firearms have been caught at TSA
checkpoints so far this year. I am hopeful that our witnesses will
share their perspectives on these encounters and what can be done to
prevent them.
While the pace of recovery in air travel is encouraging, we must
not forget that the coronavirus, and particularly the dangerous Delta
variant, is still at large.
The mask mandate aboard planes and in airports remains in place
until September 13, and now is not the time to let our foot off the gas
in terms of doing all that we can to prevent the virus's spread.
As more travelers take to the air, I look forward to hearing from
our witnesses about TSA's strategy thus far and plans for the future.
Thank you, and with that I recognize Ranking Member Gimenez for his
remarks.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. The Chair now recognizes the
Ranking Member of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Florida,
Mr. Gimenez, for an opening statement.
Mr. Gimenez. Thank you, Chairwoman Watson Coleman. I really
appreciate that.
I am pleased that the subcommittee is holding this hearing
today to discuss how TSA is securing the traveling public in
our Nation's airports as air travel begins to recover.
As we emerge from the pandemic's devastating toll on air
travel and the transportation sector, Americans are
increasingly ready to return to travel to conduct business,
enjoy vacations, and visit family. I was pleased to see that
TSA screened over 2.2 million passengers on Sunday, which is
the highest level of air travel volume since March 2020. In
addition, there have been 10 days already this month of over 2
million daily travelers.
On my way to the District of Columbia from Miami yesterday,
I saw this increased passenger volume first-hand. The lines for
security were the longest that I have ever seen there at Miami
International Airport. The line for TSA PreCheck was nearly 50
yards long from front to back. Again, that is the longest line
I have ever seen on TSA PreCheck.
What I am understanding is that, at least at MIA, they are
back to almost 95 percent of air travelers. It is a huge
international hub and international businesses is way down. So
once international travel starts to pick up again, we may
actually surpass pre-pandemic levels.
We must ensure our security checkpoints are properly
staffed for the number of travelers that they are seeing. This
issue must be addressed quickly to meet the growing demand on
air travel. I am heartened now that leisure air travel has
recovered to 75 percent around the country to pre-pandemic
levels, but TSA needs to be ready for an increase in business
travel, this fall is where there will be a projected increase
in international travel.
I remain concerned that staffing shortages at our Nation's
airport checkpoints will continue to grow as passenger volumes
increase.
I look forward to hearing from today's witnesses about
TSA's efforts to hire additional screeners for summer travel. I
believe that an obstacle to recruiting and retaining TSA
officers is that they need to be paid more. Increasing TSO pay
is important to maintaining a strong front-line work force and
to secure the traveling public.
As passenger volume continues to increase this summer and
into the fall, it is incumbent upon TSA to facilitate the
higher travel volume in an efficient and very secure manner.
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I yield back the balance of my
time.
[The statement of Ranking Member Gimenez follows:]
Statement for Ranking Member Carlos A. Gimenez
July 20, 2021
Thank you, Chairwoman Watson Coleman. I am pleased the subcommittee
is holding this hearing today to discuss how TSA is securing the
traveling public and our Nation's airports as air travel begins to
recover.
As we emerge from the pandemic's devastating toll on air travel and
the transportation sector, Americans are increasingly ready to return
to travel to conduct business, enjoy vacations, and visit family. I was
pleased to see that TSA screened over 2.2 million passengers on Sunday,
which is the highest level of air travel volume since March 2020. In
addition, there have been 10 days already this month of over 2 million
daily travelers. On my way to DC from Miami yesterday I saw this
increased passenger volume first-hand. The lines for security were the
longest I have ever seen them and the line for TSA PreCheck was nearly
50 yards from front to back.
I am heartened that leisure air travel has recovered to 75 percent
of its pre-pandemic level, but TSA needs to be ready for an increase in
business travel this fall as well as projected increases in
international travel. I remain concerned that staffing shortages at our
Nation's airport checkpoints will continue to grow as passenger volume
increases.
I look forward to hearing from today's witnesses about TSA's
efforts to hire additional screeners for summer travel. I believe that
an obstacle to recruiting and retaining Transportation Security
Officers is that they need to be paid more. Increasing TSO pay is
important to maintain a strong front-line workforce to secure the
traveling public.
As passenger volume continues to increase this summer and into the
fall, it is incumbent upon TSA to facilitate the higher travel volume
in an efficient and secure manner.
Thank you, Madame Chairwoman, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you, Ranking Member.
Members are also reminded that the subcommittee will
operate according to the guidelines laid out by the Chairman
and the Ranking Member in their February 3 colloquy regarding
remote procedures.
The Chair now recognizes the Chairman of the full
committee, the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr. Thompson, for an
opening statement.
Mr. Thompson. Thank you, Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank
you to our witnesses for joining us today.
For much of last year, the skies were empty. Vaccines were
a distant dream, and at one point, it seemed airlines were on
the brink of collapse. At the beginning of lock-down, there
were days where TSA screened less than 100,000 passengers. In
contrast, this month, TSA routinely screens over 2 million
passengers annually. But unfortunately, our Nation's return to
travel has not gone seamlessly. Long lines have returned at
checkpoints, meaning TSA has had to fight for more talent in
this competitive job market. That fight for talent is hindered
by the fact that TSA workers still do not receive the pay and
protections afforded to other Federal workers, though I am glad
to be working with the Biden administration to fix that
problem. TSOs work hard under normal conditions. But the
combination of COVID-19 and a dramatic uptick in unruly
passengers has made the job even more challenging. Across the
country, dozens of TSOs have been physically assaulted in
recent months. Passengers have pushed and shoved officers, and
in some cases, passengers have literally bitten TSOs. Not only
that, but the rate of firearms found at TSA checkpoints doubled
last year. Consistently, over 80 percent of firearms--as
already been said by the Chairwoman--have been found to be
loaded. Passengers must leave their firearms at home or follow
the proper procedures for checking them, as bringing them to
the checkpoint creates disruptions that could prove dangerous.
Needless to say, this is a concerning convergence of trends.
There has been a significant spike in disruptive passengers
in the sky, as flight attendants have been assaulted or
harassed with regularity. All too often, these assaults occur
simply because a crew member was doing their job and seeking to
enforce common-sense mask policies designed to protect fliers
from COVID-19. Although the public is most familiar with TSA's
on-the-ground responsibilities, Federal Air Marshals play an
essential role in aviation security once passengers get on
board. We must ensure flight crews have the training and
Federal support they need to confront this uptick in assaults.
It is imperative that the entire TSA enterprise has a
strategy for addressing the challenges by increased travel and
unruly passengers.
Thank you again to our witnesses. I appreciate your efforts
to protect the traveling public and look forward to your
testimony.
[The statement of Chairman Thompson follows:]
Statement of Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
Thank you to our witnesses for joining us today.
For much of last year, the skies were empty. Vaccines were a
distant dream, and at one point, it seemed airlines were on the brink
of collapse.
At the beginning of lockdown, there were days where TSA screened
less than 100,000 passengers. In contrast, this month, TSA routinely
screens over 2 million daily passengers.
But unfortunately, our Nation's return to travel has not gone
seamlessly. Long lines have returned at checkpoints, meaning TSA has
had to fight for more talent in this competitive job market.
That fight for talent is hindered by the fact that TSA workers
still do not receive the pay and protections afforded to other Federal
workers--though I am glad to be working with the Biden administration
to fix that problem.
TSOs work hard under normal conditions. But the combination of
COVID-19 and a dramatic uptick in unruly passengers has made the job
even more challenging.
Across the country, dozens of TSOs have been physically assaulted
in recent months. Passengers have pushed and shoved officers, and in
some cases, passengers have literally bitten TSOs.
Not only that, but the rate of firearms found at TSA checkpoints
doubled last year. Consistently, over 80 percent of firearms found are
loaded. Passengers must leave their firearms at home or follow the
proper procedures for checking them, as bringing them to the checkpoint
creates disruptions that could prove dangerous.
Needless to say, this is a concerning convergence of trends.
There has also been a significant spike in disruptive passengers in
the sky, as flight attendants have been assaulted or harassed with
regularity. All too often, these assaults occur simply because a crew
member was doing their job and seeking to enforce common-sense mask
policies designed to protect fliers from COVID-19.
Although the public is most familiar with TSA's on-the-ground
responsibilities, Federal Air Marshals play an essential role in
aviation security once passengers get on board. We must ensure flight
crews have the training and Federal support they need to confront this
uptick in assaults.
It is imperative that the entire TSA enterprise has a strategy for
addressing the challenges by increased travel and unruly passengers.
Thank you again to our witnesses. I appreciate your efforts to
protect the traveling public and look forward to your testimony.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I now welcome our panel of witnesses today.
Mr. Darby LaJoye is the executive assistant administrator
for security operations at the Transportation Security
Administration after recently returning from a stint as acting
TSA administrator.
In his current role, he oversees checkpoint and baggage
screening operations impacting millions of passengers at
approximately 440 airports every day, oversight of over 280
international airports, conducting last-points-of-departure
operations to and from the United States, and a surface network
that encompasses freight, railroad, passenger rail, mass
transit, maritime, and pipelines.
Mr. Michael Ondocin is the executive assistant
administrator of law enforcement in the Federal Air Marshal
Service at the TSA. In his role he oversees the deployment of
Federal Air Marshals on U.S. aircraft world-wide, as well as
protection, response, detection, and assessment activities in
airports and other transportation systems.
Without objection, the witnesses' full statements will be
inserted into the record.
I now ask each witness to summarize his statements for 5
minutes, beginning with Mr. LaJoye.
STATEMENT OF DARBY LAJOYE, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR
FOR SECURITY OPERATIONS, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Mr. LaJoye. Good morning Chairwoman Watson Coleman, Ranking
Member Gimenez, and distinguished Members of the subcommittee.
Thank you for inviting me to testify before you today. I
appreciate the opportunity to discuss Transportation Security
Administration's (TSA's) operations and strategy for addressing
increased summer travel.
Like all of us, TSA faced tremendous challenges for the
past nearly 18 months from this on-going global pandemic. When
air travel came to a near standstill, our operational agility,
the resilience of our work force, and the strength of our
partnerships were tested like never before.
I am incredibly proud of the way we have adapted to these
unprecedented challenges and positioned our agency to support
what has been a historical recovery in passenger demand.
Through the darkest times of the pandemic, we never wavered
from our solemn commitment of protecting the Nation's
transportation systems and ensuring the freedom of movement of
people and commerce.
From the very beginning TSA placed the highest priority on
the health and safety of our employees and that of the
traveling public. We moved quickly to implement protective
measures at security checkpoints and screening locations across
the country. We enforced social distancing at our checkpoints,
installed acrylic shielding to minimize personal contact,
increased sanitization, and required officers to wear face
masks, gloves, eye protection, and face shields.
We used our personnel flexibility to offer new leave
options for employees at higher risk of severe illness from
exposure to the virus and maximized telework and flexible
scheduling options whenever possible. We are the forefront in
providing accelerated vaccine access through the Department's
``Operation Vaccinate Our Workforce''.
We took direct and meaningful action to supplement the
world-wide pandemic response. We helped repatriate over 100,000
American citizens stranded across 136 countries and facilitated
the distribution of personal protective equipment and other
critical supplies, such as ventilators, to countries around the
world.
Before I continue, I want to take a moment to thank our
work force, our TSA officers, our coordination center officers,
our Federal Air Marshals, our K9 teams, our aviation and
surface cargo inspectors, our vetting personnel, and all the
staff that stands behind them. To every single person who stood
firm and fulfilled their duty, I am proud of their continued
resilience and professionalism.
Airport passenger volumes are finally nearing and
consistently exceeding pre-pandemic levels. We anticipated this
increase and began a concerted recruitment effort this past
winter to hire the support needed to handle these increasing
volumes throughout the remainder of the year.
We also took additional measures, such as doubling the size
of our National deployment force to provide resources where
needed. TSA is also utilizing several monetary incentives to
recruit new employees and retain our valued work force to
ensure that adequate staffing levels continue.
These efforts are already paying dividends. Sunday, July 18
was one of the busiest air travel days of 2021, with TSA
screening over 2.24 million passengers. Over the entire 4th of
July holiday period, July 1 through July 7, TSA screened almost
14 million passengers, with 97 percent waiting less than 20
minutes in standard lanes and less than 5 minutes in TSA
PreCheck lanes. More importantly, there were no major security
incidents impacting the transportation sector. We are confident
that TSA is prepared and well-positioned to continue to
effectively meet increasing passenger volumes throughout the
remainder of the summer.
Unfortunately, with the increase in passenger volumes, TSA
is also seeing an increase in unruly passengers at TSA
checkpoints across the country and on-board aircraft. Since the
beginning of the pandemic, there have been over 85 physical
assaults on TSA officers.
Additionally, we have seen a dramatic increase in the
number of incidents on board aircraft, with over 3,600 in-
flight disturbances since the beginning of the pandemic. Sadly,
many of these disturbances have become violent, resulting in
assaults against fellow passengers and flight crew.
Our industry partners have reported an increase in assaults
in other modes of transportation as well.
I want to thank those front-line transportation workers,
including flight crew, who do their jobs every single day to
make sure that the traveling public is safe.
Additionally, and as noted by the Members, TSA continues to
detect firearms on passengers and in carry-on bags at
checkpoints at an alarming rate. As of early July, TSA detected
2,807 firearms in 2021, 85 percent of which were loaded. In
2020, TSA officers discovered a total of 3,257 firearms on
passengers or in their carry-on bags at checkpoints. To
increase awareness of the requirement for properly transporting
firearms, TSA has enhanced communication and outreach efforts
for the public and stakeholders.
In February of this year, we published updated enforcement
sanction guidance which increased civil penalty ranges that TSA
can impose. For first-time violations, TSA may impose a fine of
up to $10,000 if the firearm is loaded. Air travelers coming to
checkpoints for the first time since before the pandemic may
see some changes in the security technology they encounter.
Throughout the pandemic TSA has worked to accelerate deployment
of state-of-the-art technology, such as computed tomography,
credential authentication technology, and on person screening
enhancements. These technologies----
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Mr. LaJoye.
Mr. LaJoye. Yes, ma'am?
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Mr. LaJoye, excuse me, you have
gone beyond your 5 minutes. Could you just sort-of wrap it up
and perhaps we can get to some of this with the questions?
Mr. LaJoye. Yes, ma'am.
Let me just end by thanking you all for the opportunity
today and I look forward to answering questions.
[The joint prepared statement of Mr. LaJoye and Mr. Ondocin
follows:]
Joint Prepared Statement of Darby LaJoye and Michael Ondocin
July 20, 2021
Good morning Chairwoman Watson Coleman, Ranking Member Gimenez, and
distinguished Members of the subcommittee. Thank you for inviting us to
testify before you today and we appreciate the opportunity to discuss
Transportation Security Administration's (TSA's) operations.
First and foremost, we would like to recognize TSA's workforce--our
Transportation Security Officers (TSOs), Federal Air Marshals, canine
teams, inspectors, and other aviation and surface personnel--for their
hard work and dedication during these unprecedented and challenging
times. Our workforce has and continues to effectively execute the
mission in a professional manner and adapt to accommodate various
challenges, including increased travel volume as we recover from the
COVID-19 pandemic as well as a growing number of incidents stemming
from unruly passengers. Their hard work and vigilance allowed more than
10.1 million travelers over the Fourth of July holiday weekend to
safely and securely fly to and from their destinations in order to see
loved ones, family, and friends--many for the first time since the
onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thursday, July 1 was the busiest air
travel day of the weekend, with TSA screening 2,147,090 people, which
is slightly more than the 2,088,760 travelers screened on Thursday of
the Fourth of July weekend in 2019. Daily airport passenger volumes are
finally nearing, and occasionally exceeding, pre-pandemic levels as
more people are getting vaccinated and travel restrictions are easing
around the world. While the COVID-19 pandemic has tested our agility,
the resiliency of our workforce, and the strength of our partnerships,
TSA has adapted and maintained our security mission while working to
ensure the health and safety of both our valued employees and the
traveling public.
In less than 2 months, the Nation will mark 20 years since the
September 11 terrorist attacks. As we approach this milestone and
emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, TSA remains focused on protecting
the Nation's transportation systems. To achieve our mission, we have
been guided by our continuing vision to be an agile security agency
that engages its partners and the American people to outmatch a dynamic
threat.
covid-19 response
After the emergence of COVID-19, airport passenger screening
volumes dropped as much as 97 percent, and TSA adapted our operations
to protect the TSA workforce, traveling public, and other
transportation workers from this global threat.
Throughout the pandemic, TSA diligently followed guidance issued by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, and DHS, provided personal protective
equipment (PPE) to our workforce, developed and implemented new
protocols to support social distancing, and implemented other required
standards and procedures. Our ``Stay Healthy. Stay Secure.'' campaign
detailed the measures we implemented at security checkpoints across the
Nation to make the screening process safer for passengers and our
workforce by reducing the potential of exposure to COVID-19.
In February 2021, in close coordination with our stakeholders, TSA
implemented provisions of President Biden's Executive Order on
Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel and
enforced the related CDC Order by requiring travelers to wear face
masks when they are in airports, bus and rail stations, as well as
while on passenger aircraft, public transportation, passenger
railroads, and over-the-road buses operating on scheduled fixed-routes.
Our efforts to protect the workforce and traveling public,
including the deployment of technologies to reduce contact between TSOs
and passengers and their property, helped restore confidence that it is
healthy and safe to travel. Those endeavors paved the way for the
increased passenger volumes we are now seeing at airports around the
country.
aviation security incident trends
TSA has unfortunately seen an increase in unruly passengers at TSA
checkpoints across the country and on-board aircraft. Since the
beginning of the pandemic, there have been over 70 physical assaults on
TSA officers and 3,600 in-flight disturbances. Before the pandemic, in
2019, there were 1,230 in-flight disturbances, which was approximately
2 incidents per 1 million passengers screened. Preliminarily, as of
early July 2021, there have been 2,838 in-flight incidents thus far in
2021, which is approximately 12 incidents per 1 million passengers
screened. This shows a dramatic increase in the number of incidents on-
board aircraft, which occur for a variety of reasons, many of which are
mask-related, frequently leading to agitated passengers who at times
have become violent toward fellow passengers and the flight crew. Our
industry partners have reported an increase in assaults in other modes
of transportation as well.
Additionally, TSA continues to detect firearms on passengers and in
carry-on bags at checkpoints at an alarming rate. Preliminarily, as of
early July, TSA detected 2,807 firearms in 2021, 85 percent of which
were loaded. In 2020, TSA officers discovered a total of 3,257 firearms
on passengers or in their carry-on bags at checkpoints, which was
approximately 10 firearms per million passengers screened.
Comparatively in 2019, the number was about 5 firearms per million
passengers screened.
To increase awareness on the requirements for properly transporting
firearms, TSA enhanced communication and outreach efforts with the
public and stakeholders. In February 2021, TSA published updated
Enforcement Sanctions Guidance increasing the suggested civil penalty
ranges TSA may impose. For first-time violations, TSA can impose a fine
of up to $10,000 if the firearm is loaded.
summer travel
The summer travel season has begun and TSA's diligent preparation
has ensured it is ready for passenger volume to return. TSA anticipated
this increase and began a concerted recruitment effort this past winter
to hire the support needed to handle these increasing volumes
throughout the remainder of the year. We also took additional measures
such as converting part-time employees to full-time, increasing
employee overtime, and adjusting shifts to support airline schedules.
TSA is also utilizing several monetary incentives to retain our valued
workforce and ensure adequate staffing levels.
Those efforts are already paying dividends. Over the July 4 holiday
travel period, TSA screened more than 10.1 million passengers, with 98
percent waiting less than 20 minutes in standard lanes and 97 percent
waiting less than 5 minutes in TSA PreCheck lanes. More importantly,
there were no major security incidents impacting the transportation
sector. We are confident that TSA is prepared and well-positioned to
continue to effectively meet increasing passenger volumes through the
remainder of the year.
technology advancements
Air travelers coming to checkpoints for the first time since before
the pandemic may see some changes in security technology they
encounter. Throughout the pandemic, TSA worked in close partnership
with DHS Science and Technology to accelerate deployment of state-of-
the-art technologies, such as Computed Tomography (CT), Credential
Authentication Technology (CAT), and On-Person Screening enhancements.
These technologies and enhancements represent significant advancements
from current equipment used for identity verification and the screening
of accessible property, reduce overall contact during screening, and
improve the passenger experience. Major technological advancements
include:
Computed Tomography, or CT, produces high-quality 3-D images
that can be rotated up to 360 degrees on three axes for a more
thorough visual analysis of a carry-on bag's contents and
reduces the need to touch or manually check bags.
Credential Authentication Technology, or CAT, machines
automatically verify identification documents presented by
passengers during the security screening process and confirm a
passenger's flight information and vetting status without the
need for our officers to see a boarding pass. TSA has worked to
modify CAT machines to allow self-service operation, so
passengers can scan their own photo ID without our officers
touching the document. Additionally, the Self-Service CAT with
camera (CAT-2) upgrade units promote social distancing, reduce
the need for a physical ID hand-off at the Travel Document
Checker, and make passenger screening more automated.
Advanced Imaging Technology, or AIT, safely screens
passengers without physical contact for both metallic and non-
metallic threats such as weapons and explosives. Enhancements
have reduced the number of false alarms at the checkpoint and
touchpoints by using even more sophisticated millimeter wave
technology.
As of early July 2021, TSA has deployed 300 CT systems at 141
airports and 4 laboratories, as well as 1,053 CAT units at 119 airports
and 2 laboratories. The continued investment of fiscal year 2021
appropriated funds supports the procurement and deployment of
additional systems CT and CAT systems that will include smaller
airports.
In addition to these checkpoint technologies our biometric
technology pilots have shown the potential for modern identity
technology to enhance security effectiveness, improve operational
efficiency, and yield a more streamlined passenger experience in the
post-pandemic travel era. Along with biometrics development, digital
credentials, such as mobile driver's licenses and digital passports,
are becoming increasingly common. To further support the touchless
experience at the checkpoint, TSA is actively exploring the integration
of a mobile driver's license and other digital credential
authentication capability with CAT-2 to process digital identity
information and verify a person's identity at the airport checkpoint.
Since TSA's inception, we have continuously refined and evolved our
security approach by examining the procedures and technologies we use
to secure our Nation's transportation systems. Technology advancements
are just a part of TSA's multi-layered approach to ensuring
transportation security.
multi-layered approach to security
An integral part of TSA's multi-layered approach to security,
especially as passenger levels return to pre-pandemic levels, are TSA's
Passenger Screening Canine (PSC) teams. PSC teams strengthen checkpoint
screening effectiveness, improve checkpoint efficiency, and provide an
agile and adaptable resource to expand TSA's detection capabilities.
The focus for TSA's PSC program is improving detection at TSA
checkpoints and deterring insider threats in the airport environment.
PSC teams are a cost-effective resource that provides valuable security
enhancements and growth in this capability is important for future
years.
In addition to PSC teams, the Visible Intermodal Prevention and
Response (VIPR) Program ensures that both aviation and surface
transportation hubs do not become targets for our adversaries. The
Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) works closely with Federal, State,
and local law enforcement partners and stakeholders to conduct VIPR
operations in all modes of transportation using a risk-based assessment
framework. Through the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, VIPR Teams
have conducted approximately 5,600 deployments at transportation venues
Nation-wide to include National Special Security Events, like the
Presidential Inauguration and the Presidential Address to the Joint
Session of Congress, and Special Event Assessment Rating activities,
such as the Super Bowl LV, the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, and
the recent 4th of July Fireworks events in San Diego, San Francisco,
and New York City.
federal air marshal service
From the visible VIPR operations to covert flight coverage, the
FAMS and its dedicated ranks of Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) continued
its mission throughout the pandemic despite the significant drop in
passenger volume. FAMs deploy on domestic and international flights
based on intelligence and risk while maintaining the long-standing
capability to redeploy FAMs based on changing intelligence and
potential threats. FAMs are trained to take swift, decisive action
based on the totality of the circumstances surrounding incidents on-
board an aircraft and are prepared to appropriately respond to a
variety of situations and challenges associated with preventing and
disrupting acts of terrorism across the transportation domain. However,
they are not the only line of defense on-board an aircraft.
Airline flight crew members are yet another layer of security and
work in conjunction with the FAMS to ensure the safety of passengers.
Since 2004, TSA has delivered the Crew Member Self Defense Program
(CMSD), through a voluntary program of advanced self-defense training
which includes classroom and effective hands-on training. The CMSD
training curriculum includes a wide range of self-defense techniques
with special emphasis on the airline crew deck environment. CMSD
training classes are conducted in cities throughout the country where
FAMS offices are located and as requested with specific airlines.
The Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) Program, also managed by the
FAMS, provides an additional layer of security to commercial airliners
and, in particular, the flight deck from terrorist and criminal
assault. FFDOs are pilots of commercial passenger or cargo aircraft who
are trained to provide an additional layer of security by defending the
flight deck against an act of criminal violence and air piracy that is
attempting to gain control of the flight deck. TSA is grateful for the
thousands of FFDOs who volunteer their service and perform a vital role
in our National security aboard thousands of passenger and cargo
flights monthly.
closing
TSA remains dedicated to securing the Nation's transportation
systems from terrorist attacks. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic
and approach the 20th anniversary of September 11, TSA stands firm and
more resolved than ever to meet the needs of our Nation's security. We
are focused on improving transportation security through TSA's multi-
layered approach to security and the development and implementation of
intelligence-driven, risk-based policies and plans. We appreciate the
subcommittee's continued support of TSA's mission and investments in
the technology to keep the public safe.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman, Ranking Member Gimenez, and Members of
the subcommittee, thank you for your continued support and engagement
on these efforts and the opportunity to appear before you today. We
look forward to answering any questions you may have.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. LaJoye. I am
certain that we will get to some of that additional information
in questions, because you were heading into an area that we are
very interested in. Thank you for that.
I now recognize Mr. Ondocin to summarize his statement for
5 minutes. Mr. Ondocin.
STATEMENT OF MICHAEL ONDOCIN, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT/FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SERVICE, TRANSPORTATION
SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Mr. Ondocin. Yes, good morning, Chairwoman Watson Coleman,
Ranking Member Gimenez, and distinguished Members of the
subcommittee. Thank you for this opportunity to testify before
you today to discuss the Transportation Security Administration
Law Enforcement Federal Air Marshal Service's approach in
securing aviation travel, which continues to increase from very
low levels at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The dedication and commitment of our Federal Air Marshals
to ensure the safety and security of our Nation's
transportation system and its travelers is unwavering. Federal
Air Marshals have played critical roles in the investigation
and apprehension of suspects in the aviation domain, the
protection of passengers and crew members, and the security of
transportation hubs deterring terrorism.
Throughout the unprecedented circumstances of the world-
wide COVID-19 pandemic, our work force steadfastly maintained
the TSA mission in securing the Nation's transportation system,
and more specifically, we remained focused on the highest risks
to transportation. To maintain operations, the deployment of
Federal Air Marshals during this time proved challenging. But
the safety of our Federal Air Marshals was not overlooked or
minimized for the sake of the mission. Our work force is our
greatest asset and their health and wellness is vital to
mission success.
In a few weeks, we will mark 20 years since September 11
when terrorists evaded security of the Nation's transportation
system to kill thousands of people and inflict unimaginable
damage. Today, TSA is postured to mitigate threats not only to
aviation travel, but all modes of transportation with numerous
layers of security. Two of these vital layers are our Federal
Air Marshals, who deploy our missions aboard aircraft globally
and throughout the many hundreds of transportation venues
within the United States, and our Federal flight deck officers,
who pilot thousands of aircraft prepared to protect the last
threshold.
The unique enclosed environment of an aircraft creates a
challenging workspace for Federal Air Marshals, but they are
highly skilled and trained to deal with a wide variety of
situations, whether aboard an aircraft or in the general
environment. The ability to rapidly deploy in order to respond
and address world-wide threats, risks, and natural disasters
has long been a capability of TSA's law enforcement Federal Air
Marshal Service. Federal Air Marshals have aided in rescue and
security efforts, stretching from New Orleans with Hurricane
Katrina, the massive floods in Bismark, North Dakota, the
evacuation of expatriates from Lebanon in 2007, and with the
first wave of COVID-19 to hit the U.S. shores early 2020, our
Federal Air Marshals assisted in the initial quarantine effort
of those returning to the country on cruise ships.
The volunteer force of Federal flight deck officers is
composed of dedicated commercial airline pilots who not only
pilot, but are armed to defend the flight deck at all costs.
These men and women are trained at the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Centers with the necessary skills to stop a threat to
the aircraft's controls. Their selfless service aligns with
TSA's commitment to aviation security and their presence
ensures the security for thousands of flights.
Visible, intermodal, prevention, and response teams,
commonly known as VIPR teams, continue to aid local State and
security stakeholders by providing Federal law enforcement
support at transportation venues Nation-wide. Here again our
Federal Air Marshals provide the unique skills and lend their
experience within the transportation sector to our industry
partners and fellow law enforcement agencies. I want to
personally thank our Federal Air Marshals, Federal flight deck
officers, and our transportation security officers, and the
hundreds of mission support personnel for their service in
securing our Nation's transportation system.
I appreciate the subcommittee's continued support of TSA
and its mission. Thank you for this opportunity today and I
look forward to answering your questions.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you very much for your
testimony.
Both of you recognize that every Member of our committee is
interested in the safety and security of our TSA employees on
the ground and our air marshals and all passengers in the air,
so we are going to have a series of questions that are trying
to direct your attention and ask for some specific responses to
those.
I am going to recognize myself first for questions.
I am very concerned about the reports of some 85 assaults
against TSA officers since the start of the pandemic. I am
interested in understanding what conditions and situations have
preceded these assaults, and are these incidents, are they
connected with frustration about the mask mandate or procedures
and wait times, or is it alcohol consumption.
Mr. LaJoye, I would like to start with you, if you could
respond to that sort-of briefly.
I think you have to unmute.
While we are trying to connect you--we may have a problem
connecting with you too, Mr. Ondocin.
I am going to ask about the Federal Air Marshals here. I do
recognize that TSA employees, a number of air marshals, that
the exact number is a sensitive security information issue that
can't be discussed in this forum, but speaking generally, given
the recent increases in disturbances on flights, do you have a
need for more air marshals and is the current rate at which the
FAMs are on board and able to respond to these incidences
sufficient?
Mr. LaJoye and Mr. Ondocin, can you just nod if you are
hearing me? There is no connectivity.
Mr. Gimenez and Chairman Thompson, we are going to take a
pause here and see if we can straighten this out. So we will be
in recess until we can connect again to our witnesses.
[Recess.]
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. We are now back in session.
Thank you.
As I was saying, I am particularly concerned with the
reports of 85 assaults against TSA officers since the start of
this pandemic. I would like to have your response to these
questions, what conditions and situations preceded these
events, these assaults? Are incidences connected with
frustration about the mask mandate, frustration with screening
procedures and wait times, or alcohol consumption?
Mr. LaJoye.
Mr. LaJoye. Well, thanks for that question, Madam Chair.
I think it is fair to say that all of those conditions is
something that we are experiencing and we just sadly had two
assaults yesterday coming through one of our checkpoints. There
has been some frustration over the mask mandate that has been
widely reported, but we are also seeing a number of these,
whether it is on our checkpoints or in the air, they are
alcohol-related. I think, you know, our best judgment would
dictate that all of these are having some type of an impact on
what we are seeing transpire at our checkpoints and on-board
the aircraft.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. So if you are observing
passengers or potential passengers that are exhibiting these
kinds of behaviors, exactly what do you all do in terms of
whether or not they are allowed to get on the plane?
Mr. LaJoye. Well, Madam Chair, so for anybody at our
checkpoint who is exhibiting those types of behaviors, we
immediately have law enforcement respond and we have had
tremendous support from our airport law enforcement partners. A
number of these assaults are resulting in arrests. So they
never get through our checkpoints and they never get aboard the
aircraft.
So if we have a clear indication that at our checkpoint
somebody is already exhibiting, you know, violent behavior, we
will notify law enforcement and they will not proceed through
the checkpoint. Ultimately, they will not board the aircraft.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. I would think that your response
to assaults upon the TSOs is very severe. Could you give me
some indication about have individuals been fined, have they
been charged for assaulting these officers? What sort of
penalties do they face? In general, are you keeping a log or
record of incidences at the checkpoints with regard to people
that you have had to remove? How many, what for, and what
happened to them?
Mr. LaJoye. Yes, ma'am.
So I mean every one of these, every assault on a TSO we
immediately investigate. So they are subject to a civil penalty
up to almost $15,000 if it results in a physical assault. In
addition, if they are a member of TSA PreCheck, it could result
in a temporary on up to a permanent from TSA PreCheck,
depending on the severity. As I stated before, a number of
these resulted in local charges from law enforcement and
additional we have had tremendous support from U.S. attorneys
around the country in bringing Federal criminal charges, both
in cases against our officers or against members of the flight
crew. So it is both Federal and local criminal charges in
addition to civil penalties, of the $15,000 and potentially a
permanent ban from the TSA PreCheck.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Can you provide us with the
information as to how many people have been fined, how people
have been arrested?
Mr. LaJoye. We can certainly provide that back for the
record. You know, we will go back to the beginning of this
pandemic in charting this and we will provide that back.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you very much.
A quick question before my time is up to you, Mr. Ondocin.
I know I recognize the number of Federal Air Marshals that you
all employ as sort-of sensitive security information that can't
be discussed in a forum of this nature, but given the recent
increases in disturbances, do you have enough Air Marshals and
is the current rate at which Federal Air Marshals are on board
and able to respond to these incidences that have been
demonstrated and verified sufficient?
Mr. Ondocin. Yes, Madam Chair, at this point in time I do
have enough Federal Air Marshals to cover our mission and our
mission hasn't really changed since prior, you know, to COVID-
19. Our Federal Air Marshals are still out providing, you know,
in flight security.
As far as the amount of Federal Air Marshals over the next
few years, I may need some support in hiring due to attrition
as a large portion of our work force entered armed service
right after 9/11 and will be coming up to their--you know, up
to their 20th-year anniversary.
But at this point in time, ma'am, I am confident that I do
have enough Federal Air Marshals.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. Ondocin.
My time has expired, but I do have a second round of
questions regarding Air Marshals and their well-being and the
type of scheduling that takes place.
But now I would like to yield to the Ranking Member, Mr.
Gimenez.
Mr. Gimenez. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I appreciate
that.
Mr. LaJoye, what happens to passengers that are carrying
firearms either on their person or in their carry on bags?
Mr. LaJoye. So it is immediately--when TSA detects the
firearm on the X-ray, we will notify law enforcement and
everything stops because, you know, to the point we were
raising earlier, this very much is a public safety concern for
our checkpoints. Nearly 85 percent of the weapons that we
encounter are loaded, oftentimes haphazardly thrown in a bag.
So our first priority is to stop and allow law enforcement to
take control of that situation. Then they are--depending on
what the various State and local laws may be, you know, law
enforcement will take a fraction--it could be anything from an
arrest, it could be, you know, placing the weapon in a safe
location, you know, allowing the passenger to return it in some
cases. But the very first instance for TSA is to notify State
and local law enforcement to take control of that situation.
Mr. Gimenez. There is no Federal law prohibiting somebody
transporting a firearm, trying to get a firearm onto an
airplane?
Mr. LaJoye. There are certainly a number of civil statutes
that would prohibit somebody from bringing a weapon on board
the aircraft. So immediately following the law enforcement
actions TSA investigates every one of these circumstances for a
civil penalty.
Mr. Gimenez. Not a criminal penalty? I understand--look, I
understand that some people may have--may inadvertently leave a
firearm in a carry on, et cetera, and I understand that, but
there is not--the civil penalty is not a criminal penalty to do
that?
Mr. LaJoye. Well, they get--each one of these are going to
depend on the circumstance. We would have to defer to DOJ on
that. But I think one of the challenges is that intent--the
intent element is not something that is in a Federal criminal
statute. So it really depends on what, if any, aggravating
circumstances may be present. If the gun was stolen. Depending
on the particular circumstances we do get support from the U.S.
Attorney, but it is very much dependent on the individual
circumstances of the case.
Mr. Gimenez. All right, now, some of them are carry on.
Some of them are actually--you find them on the person, right?
Mr. LaJoye. That is correct. We have had circumstances
where we found them on the person. I mean the predominance of
these things are, you know, in a bag and the most often cited
reason is they simply forgot it was in there. But we have had
circumstances when we have discovered these things on their
person.
Mr. Gimenez. Would you say that the majority of those that
have the gun on them have some kind of concealed weapons
permit? That they just think that it is OK because they have a
concealed weapons permit?
Mr. LaJoye. I think that is certainly something that we
encounter, sir. I mean, again, depending on the different
State, when we find, you know, obviously thousands of weapons a
year. So we can go back and see if we know how many of those
cases those individuals have a concealed carry permit.
But to your point I think, the way we focus on this is two-
fold. We prioritize the enforcement action. So we have actually
added 6 aggravating factors to a weapon, if it is loaded, if
there is a round that is chambered, if they are a member of TSA
trusted travel program or an employee of transportation, that
is considered an aggravating factor. But, again, the most often
cited reason, they simply forgot it is in there. So we actually
developed a pamphlet that we issued in the spring and summer to
get word out for how people can properly transport weapons if
they travel.
Mr. Gimenez. What happens to somebody who tries to do this
two times? Twice. Do you have a database of people that you
have seen try to get through TSA with a firearm and then
somehow try to do it again?
Mr. LaJoye. We do. Now, our numbers are--the number of
repeat offenders is about 6 percent. It is about a handful of
those who repeat it, you know, beyond two times. Frankly the
penalties get quite severe for repeat offenders. That really is
at the maximum civil penalties and number of these things at
that point, again depending on the circumstances, may result in
criminal penalties, whether State or local. But we do have that
information, sir.
Mr. Gimenez. Again, I don't know if you answered the
question. Is it a Federal crime to try to bring a firearm onto
an airplane?
Mr. LaJoye. Depending on the circumstances it may, but the
thing that is lacking in the Federal criminal statute--and
again I have to defer to counsel--is the element of intent. So
what we often hear is--our experience is generally on the
circumstances themselves, may or may not result in a Federal
charge.
Mr. Gimenez. OK. Did you guys change policy at all,
anything happen differently on Monday than--started something
on Monday because of the--I mean what I saw personally was
unbelievably long lines at TSA. Did you guys change or
something or it was just a really heavy travel day?
Mr. LaJoye. No, we have not changed any policy, sir. I
think what you are recognizing is we are seeing an exceedingly
increasing numbers of passenger volume. You know, just last
week 117 airports are already exceeding what the volume is in
2019, which is sort of pre-pandemic. That is how we measure
things. You know, our experience every single day is when we
have these wait times, every one of our lanes is open, so it is
generally capacity constraints in the system or sometimes
equipment could break. But our Federal security directors are
getting their lanes open.
Mr. Gimenez. OK.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you to the Ranking Member.
Your time has expired.
The Chair now recognizes the Chairman, Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Thompson. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Let me
thank the witnesses for their testimony.
Mr. LaJoye, are you satisfied that with the present uptick
in travel that TSA will be able to accommodate the manpower
requirements going forward to address this?
Mr. LaJoye. I am, Mr. Chairman. So year-to-date we have
hired about 4,700 officers. Just the last 2 weeks--we track it
every 2 weeks--we brought on almost 500 officers. We are on
pace to meet the 6,000 number that we know we needed through
the summer. But, again, I do recognize that we are facing the
same challenges that many are in competing, you know, for
talent. So this has really been a focus of ours, because while
I am confident we have plans in place for the summer, I also
recognize that as we get closer to the fall and winter, as
business travel continues as well as international travel picks
up, we are going to have to continue to look at our
requirements working with the airlines to make sure that we
into the fall and winter continue to have adequate resources in
our airports.
Mr. Thompson. So as you compete for talent, do you make
some analysis of why TSOs leave TSA?
Mr. LaJoye. We do, Mr. Chairman. Consistently what our
internal, you know, FEVS scores show us is that our officers
are very dedicated to the mission, but they leave because of
pay. At this point, there are simply so many other
organizations that would love to have, you know, TSA employees
work for them, the most common reason that we find is that they
are leaving because of inadequate pay.
Mr. Thompson. Well, you know, there a lot of us who have
advocated from the beginning to treat TSOs just like we do the
majority of other Federal employees. So if we are, in effect,
losing good people because of pay, why either the--as
administrator or Secretary, won't we fix this? What is the
problem with the fix?
Mr. LaJoye. Well, I think, Mr. Chairman, we are certainly
aware of your concerns in this area. Secretary Mayorkas, this
has been a priority for the Secretary since he came into office
and it has been a priority for Administrator Pekoske for the
last 4 years. The Secretary has directed us to provide back to
him a specific plan that addresses the structural problems with
TSO pay, in addition some of the rights with collective
bargaining and grievance procedures. So we owe that plan back
to the Secretary. I would be happy to provide a briefing back,
you know, once that plan is complete.
Mr. Thompson. So when is it supposed to be back to the
Secretary?
Mr. LaJoye. We owe it to the Department, sir, the beginning
of September. I can get the exact date back for the record.
Mr. Thompson. Well, my concern is, if we are losing good
people and it is a matter of pay and we don't pay people
commensurate like with other Federal employees, if there are
some authorities you lack, whatever it is, from what I hear
from everyone who has been on this hearing so far, they want to
fix it. So if there are problems, just give us the impediments
and I think we will go forward. Because most of us go through
airports every week and the No. 1 issue we hear from those TSOs
is, ``I like my job, but as soon as I get my time, I am going
to transfer because I can't support my family.''
So thank you very much.
The other question I have is in reference to Federal Air
Marshals.
So, Mr. Ondocin, do Federal Air Marshals currently have all
the necessary authorities to address any and all issues around
airline or passenger security in the air?
Mr. Ondocin. Yes, sir, we do. Federal Air Marshals have
authorities under ATSA and Title 49. They would have the same
authorities as any other Federal law enforcement officer, you
know, in the Government. But we have the appropriate
authorities to conduct our mission, sir.
Mr. Thompson. Thank you. So if an issue around a passenger
having an issue with one of the employees on the plane in the
air, that marshal has the authority to intercede? Mr.----
Mr. Ondocin. Yes, sir. If a crime is committed on-board an
aircraft by a--you know, by a passenger, our Federal Air
Marshals do have the authority to enforce the law and make an
arrest.
Mr. Thompson. So that is if it is an issue around a mask or
if it is any other issue? I don't want to split hairs with
crime, but if--you know, if this passenger was just being
totally unresponsive to the directions of other staff, that air
marshal, under current authority, can intercede?
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. The gentleman's time has
expired, but we are going to allow you to answer that question,
please, as expeditiously as possible. Thank you.
Mr. Thompson. Very kind, Madam Chair.
Mr. Ondocin. So flight attendants, sir, are trained and,
you know, we offer crew members self defense. They are trained
to handle most minor offenses. If a mask--if a non-compliance
with a mask turns into an assault or turns into a crime on-
board the aircraft, our Federal Air Marshals are trained to
take appropriate----
Mr. Thompson. Thank you, Madam Chair, for being so gracious
with your time.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. LaJoye, the Chairman is absolutely right about the
level of pay being an incentive to stay or go, but it is even
just more than just the pay you pay them, it is the
predictability of the regular increases and it is the other
pension and benefits that are accorded those individuals that
are under Title 5. We are very interested in ensuring equality
under this opportunity.
The Chair now yields to the gentlelady from Iowa, Ms.
Miller-Meeks.
Ms. Miller-Meeks. Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to thank
our gentlemen for their testimony.
So I will pontificate a little bit as well. So Members of
Congress travel a lot. That is no surprise. I go back to my
district in Iowa every opportunity that I have. I find that it
keeps me humble and also my constituents bring up things to me
that end up becoming resolutions or letters or laws. So most
recently when I travel I go through a lot of airports that I am
not sure what you would consider their size, you know, in towns
of 200,000-300,000 people. The past two airports that I have
gone through the TSA PreCheck line has not been utilized. We
have all been funneled through the same line and they diverted
out of the body scanner to the regular metal detector. But my
point in that is that I counted over 12 people going through 1
line and other people standing around not doing anything.
So that leads into my question. So I just want to point out
that in several airports I had seen a lot of personnel who are
not actively engaged in screening individuals. They may be
actively engaged in other things.
So I think understanding from your written testimony that
we expected the checkpoints over the July 4 holiday travel
period to have significant delays. But I am also learning form
airports that some had significant longer delays than other
airports. Does TSA track in real time the wait times at all
airports based on Congress' definition of the TSA Modernization
Act of 2018? Who guides in an individual airport how people are
assigned?
Mr. LaJoye. So thank you for that question, ma'am.
So the answer is yes, we do track wait times across all of
our airports, which is how we are able to articulate, you know,
what our averages, but we also track the number of what we
would call excessive wait times. Hopefully the point I made in
my earlier comments is that, you know, for us, you know, we are
very focused in making sure that we have all of our lanes open.
What our experience generally is today is that we are having
long wait times, but every single one of our lanes is open.
That tells us we have adequate staffing in place and it is
simply a capacity constraint of an airport. This is very
common, especially now because most of the volume we are seeing
is domestic travel. So a lot of these relatively small airports
with one or two or a handful of lanes, every lane is open early
and we are still having these wait times. On the ground our
Federal security directors around the country are all
responsible for working with their airport and their airlines
to make sure that we understand what the schedules are going to
be and we have adequate staffing in place.
Ms. Miller-Meeks. Interesting. It hasn't been my experience
through these--again, I am not sure what size airports you
would consider them to be in towns of 200,000 or 300,000
people, if that is a small airport.
Which leads to my next question. Increasing the number of
passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck would supposedly better
enable TSA to utilize its screening resources as travel volume
continues to recover. I think for those of us that fly, we have
absolutely seen travel volume increase dramatically.
So, Mr. LaJoye, is TSA promoting enrollment in TSA PreCheck
in smaller leisure markets that are experiencing extended wait
times? Or, you know, are you wanting people to do both clear
and TSA PreCheck depending upon their level of travel?
Mr. LaJoye. Yes, Congressman. So the short answer is, you
know, we are absolutely promoting TSA PreCheck. We have got
over 400 enrollment centers around the country and our pre-
pandemic daily enrollments was about 10,000 people a day is
what we were tracking. We are at about 98 percent of that now.
In fact, last month, June, was our busiest month for
enrollments in the last 5 years. So we are, you know, pleased
with the progress that we are making. We still recognize there
is a long way to go, but by the end of this year we will have
three enrollment providers for TSA PreCheck that can all focus
on increasing enrollments. This remains a priority of ours and
we are starting to see PreCheck volume increase along with the
general passenger increases we are seeing around our airports.
Ms. Miller-Meeks. Great. Well, I really appreciate my TSA
PreCheck and not having to take off my shoes. So thank you so
much.
Madam Chairwoman, I yield back my time.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you to the gentlelady.
I now recognize Mr. Payne from New Jersey.
Mr. Payne. Thank you, Madam Chair, and once again thank you
for this timely hearing.
Mr. LaJoye, my colleagues, the overall Chairman of the
committee and the Chairwoman of this subcommittee, are truly
diplomatic in their questioning with respect to TSO pay. I have
not had as long a tenure as a legislator or a diplomat, so I am
going to get right to the crux of this.
You talk about a 4-year lag in a report and the Secretary
wanting to do it. Why can't we do it? If we have known--I have
been talking about the topic since the Chairwoman has arrived
here in Congress, she has talked about it, the Chairman has
been on the committee since it started, what is the hold-up in
bringing a commensurate salary to the job that is being done by
TSOs, the front line of security in this country?
You know, it is common for the people doing the hardest
work to be treated the worst. I won't make any analogies, but--
can you answer what has to be done? What can we do in Congress
to expedite this?
Mr. LaJoye. I think our experience, Congressman--and,
again, I appreciate your concern, as well as the committee, on
this issue. I can't underscore enough how much of a priority
this is for both Secretary Mayorkas as well as Administrator
Pekoske. Part of the work that we owe back to the Secretary is
identifying the cost. You know, the work we did in the last
Congress on estimating some of the costs with this--and there
is a lot of work that still has to go into understanding this--
had a cost of moving the TSA work force into what would be
comparable to Title 5, at around $3.8 billion. So there is a
lot of work--how we classify the positions. So there is a lot
of work that has to go into understanding what those total
costs would be, but generally that has been the biggest
obstacle to getting these things done over many, many years.
Again, I will applaud the attention this is getting from
both Administrator Pekoske and the Secretary, but at this point
I think with respect to TSO pay, understanding what those costs
are I think is going to be crucial in actually fixing what are
the structural problems addressing TSO pay today.
Mr. Payne. Well, I would think by this point in time that
that should fairly be resolved, if we are talking about 4
years, 5 years. I have been talking about it for 8 years. You
know, when do we get the results? When do we get to the end of
it?
But it really is very concerning to me that it feels like
we are just kind-of kicking the can down the road and these
front-line workers are not being compensated to the levels and
the degree of the importance of their job.
Would you consider TSA--let us see, as you know, the
Partnership for Public Service recently released rankings for
the best places to work in the Federal Government for 2020. TSA
ranked last in pay satisfaction, as we just discussed, near the
bottom in its handling of COVID-19, and now TSOs are being
assaulted at checkpoints across the country, as it was stated.
Would TSA consider conducting a weekly survey of how many
TSOs have been verbally harassed by passengers? Though this may
not rise to the level of physical violence and the Government
must be mindful of First Amendment rights, there is no way that
getting shouted at every day when your mission is to keep the
flying public safe can be good for TSO morale.
Mr. LaJoye. Well, I think the short answer is, you know,
anything that we can do to better understand what is happening
with our officers I think we are in support of.
As we talked earlier, we certainly have information on
physical assaults, but I will commit to working with the staff
to see if there is a way in which we can do some type of survey
to better understand, aside from physical assaults, what kind
of level of verbal abuse our officers are experiencing every
day. So I will commit to working with the staff and getting an
answer back to you, Congressman.
Mr. Payne. Thank you.
I will yield back the balance of my time.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you very much to the
gentleman from New Jersey.
I think we are going to engage in a short second round of
questions, and I will recognize myself first for these
questions.
Mr. Ondocin, you had indicated that you would be seeking
our help soon as it relates to I guess Federal Air Marshals
maybe perhaps retiring or something because they have been
there for a long time. When do you anticipate asking us for
help and what is that help--in what form is that help supposed
to come to you, or need to come to you?
Mr. Ondocin. Yes, I think right now we are putting our
first class of Federal Air Marshals into training in September.
We haven't hired since 2017 because, quite frankly, we really
haven't had a need. Our numbers have been pretty solid, our
attrition rate has been pretty predictable.
As we get into `23 and `24, I suspect a number of our
Federal Air Marshals will be nearing retirement. I don't know
at what point how many of our Federal Air Marshals will seek
retirement, but I would seek your help down the road to ensure
that we do have the ability to hire additional Federal Air
Marshals.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you.
Now, I recognize that a Federal Air Marshal's job in
general has a bit of anxiety and it is very stressful, but I am
very concerned about the reports of poor mental health among
the FAMS work force. Is the operational tempo currently
expected of FAMS' reasonable? What is TSA doing to support the
mental and physical well-being of its air marshals?
Mr. Ondocin. Yes, ma'am, and thank you for your question.
I do think that the operational tempo of our Federal Air
Marshal is probably the most moderate tempo that we have had
since probably 2016 or 2017. We have put several scheduling
guidelines in place to ensure that we are balancing the
scheduling for our Federal Air Marshals. We have put a bunch of
rule sets in place since I think 2018 or 2019 to make sure that
we are utilizing our resources adequately and we are not
putting undue burden on our Federal Air Marshals.
So I feel confident that our scheduling--and I can't go
over the actual numbers or the hours that our Federal Air
Marshals are flying at this point, Madam Chair, but it is
significantly less than what it was I would say probably 3 to 4
years ago. And----
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. OK. Can you speak to the second
part of my question?
Mr. Ondocin. Yes, ma'am.
As far as the mental health, obviously that is a
significant concern, you know, of mine. We have on-boarded our
psychologist. Dr. Talbot started on--actually she on-boarded on
July 4. I actually met her in Atlantic City when I was doing
some interaction with our training center and our employees.
She is excited to be on board. She is currently working with
our medical program section where she will review all of the
records, our previous history, what we have done in the past
for mental illness, and she will develop a plan, you know,
moving forward. So she is on-board and we will utilize her
resources both at the programmatical level and I would imagine
we would use her at the field level as well.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Well, thank you.
Mr. LaJoye, real quick question follow-up on the whole
issue of the firearms and baggage. I understand that after the
June 6 insurrection that airlines in particular had made
decisions regarding firearms in their checked baggage and
things of that nature. I am wondering, to what extend did the
TSA engage in those discussions and offer guidance? What, if
any, authority do you think you need that you don't have right
now to ban firearms in checked baggage?
Mr. LaJoye. Well, Madam Chair, we were certainly aware that
the airlines were taking that, which was a policy position for
them. But it was really--I would have to defer to the FAA
because that goes--the legal relationship that airlines and
their passengers have under the DOT and the FAA, authorities on
the contract of carriage requirements. So we were aware that
they were doing it, but I would have to defer to FAA for the
legal relationship with how they did that.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. So let me ask you about TSA,
since you all are the folks that keep people, you know--bad
passengers and bad things happening from getting on the plane.
Do you think that you need more authority in a particular law
or whatever to give you the authority to ban these firearms
from being in checked baggage?
Mr. LaJoye. Well, I think with respect to firearms in
checked baggage, we actually have a pretty high level of
compliance with that. So our concern really is what is--the
prohibition is having the firearms in checked baggage and on
their person where they have access to it. I mean what our
message is, is to get word out on how to properly travel with
firearms that would require them to put them in their checked
baggage, to property declare it, make sure it is properly
stored with the ammunition.
So our message is understand how to properly travel, which
would be never in carry on, never on your person, but properly
doing so in your checked luggage.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. One quick question. If you find
an individual person has a firearm on his person and that
individual has ammunition, you refer that person to law
enforcement, right?
Mr. LaJoye. It would be an immediate refer to law
enforcement, ma'am. Immediate.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Does law enforcement remove that
person from the line to get on the airplane?
Mr. LaJoye. Yes, ma'am. The very first action law
enforcement takes, whether--and again in the rare occasion it
is on their person or in their accessible property, is to
safely mitigate that. They remove it, they take it to a safe
place in order to do what they do to make sure that the public
is not at risk.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Is that person allowed on the
plane?
Mr. LaJoye. It would depend on the State or local laws and
the circumstances of the actual incident.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you.
I recognize Mr. Gimenez.
Mr. Gimenez. Thank you, Madam Chair. I have no further
questions at this time.
Thank you.
I yield back my time.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. With your indulgence then, Mr.
Gimenez, I would like to ask another question about individuals
who are taken by law enforcement when they are found with
loaded guns or even unloaded in their position.
Mr. Gimenez. I would welcome that. Actually, that was one
of my questions to begin with. So go right ahead.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Mr. LaJoye, could you like
expound on that just a little bit more because I--you keep
saying that local law enforcement will mitigate it. I don't
know what that really means in terms of what they will do.
Mr. LaJoye. So in the first instance, ma'am, you know, our
officers at the checkpoint are going to--they are going to see
the image of the firearm in the X-ray tunnel of the CT machine.
Our procedures are, they immediately stop and they are going to
notify law enforcement because we won't take possession of that
bag. Then local law enforcement will respond to the checkpoint,
they will identify who the passenger is, they will safely take
control of the bag that has the weapon in it. Then, to your
point, a lot of which are loaded--and they will take it away
from the checkpoint to begin their investigation.
Depending on what the State and local laws are, that might
be a check to see if they are properly licensed to do it. In
some cases where irrespective of licenses it is illegal to have
it, you know, they may issue an arrest at that point. But it
really does depend after they immediately make sure there is no
risk of safety or security at the checkpoint, it becomes
whatever the local laws are going to dictate they would do at
that point with respect to the individual and the weapon.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Does law enforcement separate
the weapon from the ammunition even if a person is licensed to
have that weapon?
Mr. LaJoye. I think in a general sense I am confident in
saying yes, ma'am. Because, again, their immediate action is to
make sure there is no safety issue to the general public. So
one of the very first things they are going to do is ensure
that weapon is in a safe manner so they can carry it away from
the checkpoint.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you very much. I would
like to recognize the gentlelady from Nevada, Ms. Titus. Ms.
Titus, I can give you a few more minutes than 5 because we had
first and second rounds there.
Ms. Titus. Well, thank you very much for indulging me to
get here and for holding this hearing.
Representing a city like Las Vegas, nothing can be more
important than this. We know that a person's holiday begins
when they land in the airport, so we want to start with a
positive experience.
Mr. LaJoye, I would just tell you that I appreciate the
TSA's staffing up and hiring more people to meet the summer
demands. It is coming fast. People have this pent-up desire to
get out and go on holiday, and we are certainly seeing that in
Las Vegas.
But the TSOs at McCarran are telling me that hiring is
going slowly. I certainly support giving bonuses for hiring,
but what about the morale of the people who are already there
and have been doing the hard work? Is there any way to reward
those good officers? Because they are experiencing burnout and
now they see new people coming in with a bonus. What can we do
to help those who have been there on the front lines through
all of this?
Mr. LaJoye. Well, thank you, ma'am, for the question and
for recognizing that.
So one of the things we have done in addition to offering
bonuses to attract new officers, we are giving existing
officers a referral bonus if they tell a friend who wants to
work for TSA. We are also giving retention bonuses to our
officers--because we recognize that we are competing not only
for new talent, but to keep the talent that we have. We have
also increased the reward allocations of our field leaders. So
this is certainly a priority for us. In fact, we have an entire
suite of incentives that we have offered for hard-to-hire
airports that we can submit back. It has sort-of the breakdown
airport-by-airport for what they qualify for and everything we
have been doing over the last several months to make sure that
we get new officers and we keep the great talent that we have.
Ms. Titus. Well, good, I am glad to hear that because they
have definitely done the work and put themselves in danger to
keep travelers and all of us safer. So we don't to forget them
as we try to expand.
Speaking of putting in danger, I would like to ask you some
more about the vaccine program. I know that you all did a--
vaccinated our work force, which was great. What happened at
McCarran was that many of the TSOs were worried about, they got
the vaccination but their families didn't and they live in
multi-generational households, and that is especially true for
Hispanic families. I wonder if there is any plan to encourage
or to assist or to do yourselves some kind of program like
that, to help in those more hesitant communities and protect
not just the worker but their whole family.
Mr. LaJoye. Well, again, thanks for that question, ma'am,
and for recognizing the importance of Operation Vaccinate our
Workforce.
So the TSA numbers presently, as measured about a week ago,
about 63 percent of TSA employees have gotten their first shot
and about 45 percent are fully vaccinated. Our chief medical
officer has really done an excellent job of making sure that
location by location, if we have access to programs that can
help vaccinate not only our officers, but also their families,
that we are getting that word out. Again, I would applaud all
of our Federal security directors around the country because
they have diligently, for a number of months now, made sure
they had local information to get out their work force. So this
remains a priority of ours, and you have my commitment if there
is something more we can and should be doing to get the word
out, we will certainly do that.
Ms. Titus. Well, that is good. I hope you will work with
the unions in the different airports too because, you know,
sometimes people don't trust the Government, but they trust
somebody they know, whether it is a trust or a family member or
a union that they belong to. So I hope you will work with them
too.
Speaking of the vaccination, since people are traveling the
rates are going up. Certainly in Las Vegas and Nevada, our
rates are going up. Do you all have any plans to monitor that
or do anything special in those hot spots to protect your
members?
Mr. LaJoye. Well, something, ma'am, to your point that we
monitored from the very beginning. I mean we are starting to
see I mean these Delta variants. We are certainly, you know,
very concerned by what we are seeing. Our officers are still on
the front lines. So the manner in which we were postured at the
height of the pandemic with respect to taking measures to
protect our work force is exactly where we are committed today.
Every single day, we get reports on the number of our employees
who are contracting COVID-19. As we start to see an increase in
certain locations, we work very diligently to make sure that we
are taking the proper steps to help protect our work force.
This remains a concern of ours and we will do so in the future.
Again, it is why it is important for us to continue to work
very closely with the CDC on this.
At every level in the organization, we are very closely
coordinating with them because we are relying on them to give
us the very best information that they have available.
Ms. Titus. Well, thank you.
Thank you, Madam Chairman. I look forward to working with
you and TSA to be sure that our folks stay protected and our
travelers.
So thank you very much.
I yield back.
Chairwoman Watson Coleman. Thank you very much. I don't see
that there are any more questions for you.
Let me say thank you very much to both of you for your very
valuable testimony and for, you know, recognizing that we are
very concerned and want to be very supportive of the needs of
TSA and the air marshals and the officers that are on the front
lines because we do respect the fact that they have been there
in the midst of all of this during the entire time. So please
know that we want to make sure that Congress is doing
everything it can to let them understand and appreciate that we
appreciate them and support the things that they do.
The Members of this subcommittee may have additional
questions for you. As a matter of fact, we did ask you for some
information regarding incidences. We would ask that you would
respond expeditiously in writing to those questions.
The Chair reminds the Members of the subcommittee that the
committee's record will remain open for 10 days.
Now, without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned.
Thank you so much for your participation.
[Whereupon, at 11:16 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for the Transportation
Security Administration
unruly passengers
Question 1. How is TSA communicating with its front-line officers
and Federal Air Marshals, including through engagement with their labor
organizations and professional associations, to receive feedback on how
TSA can effectively deter disorderly passenger incidents at the
checkpoint and in the air?
Answer. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has
multiple channels for our front-line officers and other employees to
submit feedback, ask questions, and offer suggestions on issues
impacting the agency's operations and mission. We regularly facilitate
forums such as town halls with the TSA administrator and other senior
leaders to hear directly from the full TSA workforce; hold local
airport meetings and town halls between field personnel and airport
leadership; lead regular discussions between field and agency
leadership to share information and problem solve; and encourage
Transportation Security Officers (TSO) involved in specific incidents
to reach out to their local management team to discuss lessons learned
and devise future mitigation strategies. In addition, TSA IdeaFactory
platform provides an on-line means by which employees can submit
recommendations. Finally, we regularly engage with employee labor
unions and professional associations on topics of mutual interest to
hear and consider alternate perspectives and partner on solutions.
Question 2a. How many passengers have been added to the Selectee
List, the ``95'' list, or any other list as a result of unruly behavior
since the start of the pandemic in March 2020?
Question 2b. How many individuals are on such lists in total due to
unruly behavior?
Question 2c. Is their inclusion on the list permanent or for a
finite amount of time? How is the length of time determined?
Question 2d. For what purposes are such lists used? Do individuals
on such lists receive enhanced screening?
Answer. The Selectee List is managed by the Threat Screening Center
(TSC). Questions relating to whether passengers have been added to the
Selectee List are within the purview of TSC. Separately, TSA maintains
its own watch lists to take appropriate action with respect to
individuals who may pose a threat to transportation or National
security. The specific number of individuals on the TSA Watch Lists or
the TSA PreCheck Disqualification Protocol is Sensitive Security
Information. These lists complement other measures, such as enforcement
of aviation regulations, to address the threat posed by unruly
passengers.
Placement on a TSA Watch List may result in generation of a
security notification, designation for enhanced screening, or denial of
boarding. Security notifications are used to provide TSA personnel at a
particular airport with forewarning that an individual who has
previously been involved in a security incident is scheduled to travel
through that airport. Security notifications do not result in
individuals receiving enhanced screening.
TSA reviews available information regarding individuals placed on a
TSA Watch List no less than quarterly to determine if placement the
list remains appropriate under the facts and circumstances. Passage of
time and further travel without incident are considered to be
mitigating factors during these reviews.
Placement on the TSA PreCheck Disqualification Protocol List
results when an individual has committed a violation of a TSA security
requirement. The period of disqualification, which can range from 6
months to permanent, is determined based on 3 factors: (1) Which
security requirement has been violated; (2) the seriousness of the
violation; and (3) whether the individual has a history of committing
violations of TSA security requirements.
The TSA PreCheck Disqualification Protocol List is used to
preclude such individuals from being designated for expedited
screening. No enhanced screening is required as a result of placement
on this list.
Question 3. Has TSA collaborated, or will TSA consider
collaborating, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and
industry to conduct an analysis of what airports and regions unruly
passenger incidents occur most frequently in? Could such an analysis
inform interagency efforts to prevent these incidents?
Answer. TSA collaborates with the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) on mask-related incidents. TSA requires airports and airlines to
report mask-related incidents to the Transportation Security Operations
Center and shares this information with the FAA. TSA requires that any
incident deemed a security incident be referred to TSA. The FAA manages
incidents that involve safety or interference with crew. TSA conducts
weekly calls with industry to share data related to investigations of
incidents of non-compliance with the mask mandate, regardless of
whether the incident involves unruliness, and identifies the airports
where the most violations occur. The FAA participates on these calls
and shares the numbers of incidents that they are investigating as
well.
increased travel volume and tsa staffing
Question 4. Which airports are facing the largest Transportation
Security Officer (TSO) recruitment challenges, and what is TSA doing to
ensure those airports will be fully staffed throughout the summer and
into the holiday season? What are the greatest challenges to
recruitment for TSA in those markets, and overall?
Answer. Airports facing the largest recruitment challenges include:
Boston Logan International Airport, Denver International Airport,
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Minneapolis/St. Paul
International Airport, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Salt
Lake City, Boise, Lihue, Kahului, Kailua, Memphis, Grand Rapids, Reno-
Tahoe International Airport, Little Rock International Airport,
Bismarck, Myrtle Beach, Santa Barbara, Northwest Arkansas Regional
Airport, Billings, and Burlington. Based on anticipated seasonal travel
trends in the summer months and the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations
for the general public, TSA launched National efforts to recruit new
TSO employees in support of screening operations at airports Nation-
wide. Increased and targeted recruitment advertising, virtual job
fairs, and large-scale expedited hiring events in dozens of cities have
been and continue to be used to engage individuals seeking job
opportunities within TSA.
For the TSO position as a whole, TSA is facing many of the same
recruitment challenges of other entry-level employers: Increased
employment competition, rapid wage growth, and residual COVID-19
impacts. In particular, given the nature and duties of the TSO, which
require close contact with high volumes of the traveling public, COVID-
19 risks often deter interest in the TSO position. To address these
challenges, TSA is using retention, referral, recruitment, and
readiness incentives to both attract and retain officers.
For locations with significant staffing challenges, TSA has
deployed National Deployment Force personnel to supplement the local
airport staffing levels.
Question 5. How many retention bonuses has TSA paid out? Has there
been increased retention among those hired under this program?
Answer. From the onset of the Recruitment Incentive program in
March 2021, spanning fiscal year 2021 pay-periods 6-15 during,\1\ [sic]
TSA has paid out 1,901 initial installments of recruitment incentives
to TSO new hires across the country. This $1,000 incentive is paid in
two installments--a $500 incentive at time of on-boarding and $500 at
the 1-year of service mark. Given the recent establishment of these
incentives, TSA does not have enough data to determine an impact on
retention. However, it is believed this incentive has helped attract
new applicants in a highly-competitive recruitment market.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Correlating calendar dates may be viewed on the National
Finance Center's pay-period calendar for 2021; https://
www.nfc.usda.gov/Publications/Forms/1217n_21.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 6a. President Biden's fiscal year 2022 budget request for
TSA predicted that travel volume would approximately match fiscal year
2018 levels. Does TSA still believe that to be an accurate prediction?
If not, what are TSA's updated estimates for the coming fiscal year?
Question 6b. Given that the fiscal year 2022 budget request
proposed a lower level of staffing, how will TSA pay for more screening
staff should growing travel volumes require it?
Answer. Based on the healthy recovery experienced this summer, TSA
has updated its volume projections and now expects fiscal year 2022
volume is to be on par with pre-pandemic levels experienced in 2019.
The July 2021 daily average was 2.0 million passengers and we now
expect that to grow to approximately 2.47 million passengers per day in
July 2022. In comparison, original fiscal year 2022 volume projections
were to return to fiscal year 2018 peak summer throughput level of 2.39
million passengers per day by the summer of 2022.
TSA based its fiscal year 2022 screener staffing and required
funding levels on a COVID-recovery projected passenger volume
equivalent to fiscal year 2018 levels. If, as revised projections now
preliminarily indicate, volume increases beyond the fiscal year 2018
level, we will work with the Department to explore options to address
staffing levels that may be necessary to accommodate a higher than
previously anticipated passenger volume.
Question 7. As travel volume returns to pre-pandemic levels, how is
TSA working with airport operators to address checkpoints that are at
or over capacity?
Answer. TSA engages with airport operators and other stakeholders
both nationally and locally to share information regarding throughput,
staffing, wait times, construction, technology enhancements, and a
variety of other operational areas of common interest. As part of this
dialog, TSA and its partners seek collaborative solutions to predicted
challenges. Airport operators and airline personnel often assist with
passenger management and flow during times of peak passenger volume.
TSA continually analyzes flight data to predict staffing and
screening lane requirements. When an analysis discovers repeated
instances where passenger volumes exceed checkpoint throughput
capacity, TSA works with industry partners to alter equipment layouts
to support additional lanes, shift departures to different terminals or
another checkpoint, or expand airport infrastructure. In the event
infrastructure is not capable of expansion, TSA and its partners seek
collaborative solutions. Finally, TSA and its partners continue to
advise passengers to arrive early, take advantage of TSA PreCheck, and
consider flying outside of peak times.
Question 8. In response to a question from Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mr.
LaJoye stated that ``by the end of this year, [TSA] will have 3
enrollment providers for TSA PreCheck that can all focus on increasing
enrollments.'' Please expound on TSA's PreCheck expansion efforts,
particularly the progress of working with vendors to develop a fully
mobile enrollment process for customers.
Answer. TSA estimates that new enrollment providers will begin
operations by the end of calendar year 2021, though this is dependent
upon the new enrollment providers meeting all TSA requirements. Key
milestones that the enrollment providers must achieve to become
operational include:
Successful testing of vendors' identity assurance
technology;
On-boarding of vendor resources (to include review by TSA's
Personnel Security process);
Training of trusted enrollment agents and customer service
representatives;
Deployment of customer service support through a public-
facing call center;
Meeting TSA's information technology security, privacy, and
cybersecurity requirements through a TSA certification of the
vendors' enrollment systems;
Approval from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to
submit fingerprints for a criminal history records check and
conduct recurrent vetting via the FBI's Rap Back program;
Procurement of enrollment hardware; and
Identification and deployment of enrollment locations.
For each enrollment provider, this work is on-going.
TSA, the FBI, and the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) have been meeting regularly since October 2020 to
determine how to best advance remote, mobile phone-based contactless
fingerprint capture technology. While the FBI and NIST have been
supportive of TSA's efforts to evaluate this technology, given various
tests and evaluations of the technology, estimates are that it may take
several years until the mobile phone-based contactless fingerprint
collection technology advances to meet the FBI's current required
levels of capture quality and matching accuracy.
TSA, supported by the FBI and NIST, is working to sponsor a pilot
with the current TSA PreCheck enrollment provider to test the accuracy
of mobile phone-based contactless fingerprint technology. The FBI and
NIST will evaluate the quality and matching accuracy of these
contactless fingerprints. Given that the level of accuracy of
contactless fingerprints is expected to be lower than traditional
contact fingerprints, TSA will not use contactless fingerprints to
determine TSA PreCheck eligibility and will not receive criminal
history information based on these contactless fingerprints. TSA will
continue to use contact-based fingerprints for all vetting and
eligibility decisions. Once additional enrollment providers are
operational, TSA will support additional mobile phone-based contactless
fingerprint pilots.
Question 9. What role, if any, did TSA play in helping airlines
enforce their temporary January 6-related restrictions on the carriage
of firearms in checked baggage?
Should TSA have the authority to ban firearms in checked baggage in
response to an imminent threat, rather than relying on airlines to do
so at their discretion?
Answer. On January 14, 2021, Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) issued a Security Directive (SD), effective January 16-31, 2021,
that required aircraft operators to notify TSA of any passengers with a
final destination in the National Capital Region (NCR) who declared
they had a firearm in their checked baggage. Rather than applying the
measures in the SD for firearms transported in checked baggage, a
majority of airlines operating in or out of the NCR completely banned
transporting firearms during this period.
Presently, TSA is prohibited from restricting the transport of
firearms in checked baggage pursuant to 18 USC 926A. Amending this
statute to allow TSA to respond to an imminent threat would be
consistent with TSA's authorities in 49 USC 114, which authorizes the
administrator to assess threats to transportation, to develop plans and
countermeasures to address those threats, and to further coordinate
with other departments and Federal agencies during National
emergencies.
Question 10. In many States, it is lawful for an individual to
openly carry a gun in non-secure portion of an airport terminal. What
precautions are taken by TSA, airport operators, and State and local
law enforcement to ensure TSOs' safety in airports in these States?
Answer. TSA has taken several actions to increase TSO safety in
airports. First, from a training perspective, we have mandated active-
shooter training and require airports to conduct bi-annual evacuation
drills. TSA often holds these drills and exercises with key
stakeholders and first responders at the airport. Additionally, we have
added thousands of additional duress alarms at TSA screening
checkpoints and worked with airports to update their Airport Security
Programs to include defined maximum wait times for a request for
service. Last, TSA is continuing to have an increased Visible
Intermodal Prevention and Response team presence at airports.
Airport Operators are responsible for coordinating with State and
local law enforcement to provide law enforcement presence and support
in the airport to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR 1542.
Additionally, many airports participate in the TSA Law Enforcement
Officer (LEO) Reimbursement Program, which requires participating
airports to have dedicated LEOs assigned to passenger screening
checkpoints during operational hours. This visible and committed
support at the passenger screening checkpoints aids in the safety and
security of passengers and personnel. Airport Operators coordinate with
their airport law enforcement representatives and TSA on initiatives to
raise awareness about local firearms requirements and/or prohibitions.
Signage, public announcements and social media postings are the primary
methods airports use to raise awareness.
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