[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                    THE STATE OF THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY 
                                  ADMINISTRATION

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                            SUBCOMMITTEE ON
                           TRANSPORTATION AND
                           MARITIME SECURITY

                                 OF THE

                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________

                              MAY 26, 2022

                               __________

                           Serial No. 117-58

                               __________

       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                    
48-529 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2022                     
          
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                  

                     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.............................................     3
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.................................................     4
  Prepared Statement.............................................     5
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress 
  From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on 
  Homeland Security:
  Prepared Statement.............................................     6

                                Witness

Mr. David P. Pekoske, Administrator, Transportation Security 
  Administration:
  Oral Statement.................................................     7
  Prepared Statement.............................................     9

                                Appendix

Questions From Chairwoman Bonnie Watson Coleman for David P. 
  Pekoske........................................................    27
Questions From Ranking Member Carlos A. Gimenez for David P. 
  Pekoske........................................................    34

 
        THE STATE OF THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

                              ----------                              


                         Thursday, May 26, 2022

             U.S. House of Representatives,
                    Committee on Homeland Security,
                            Subcommittee on Transportation 
                                     and Maritime Security,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:32 p.m., via 
Webex, Hon. Bonnie Watson Coleman [Chairwoman of the 
subcommittee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Watson Coleman, Gottheimer, 
Gimenez, Van Drew, Norman, and Miller-Meeks.
    Also present: Representative Jackson Lee.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Good afternoon. The Subcommittee on 
Transportation and Maritime Security will come to order for 
today's hearing titled ``The State of the Transportation 
Security Administration.''
    Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the 
subcommittee in recess at any point.
    Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge the horrific 
shooting that occurred at an elementary school in Texas this 
week. My heart goes out to the victims and their families, and 
my gratitude goes to the first responders and the medical 
professionals who helped to prevent even more loss of life and 
who are continuing to provide care to our victims.
    It is unfathomable that we are dealing with a situation so 
similar to the Sandy Hook Massacre that occurred nearly 10 
years ago, but yet we seem incapable of taking action to 
prevent more tragedies from occurring.
    To those who stand in the way of sensible gun reform 
measures that are supported by a strong majority of Americans I 
ask, when will it be enough? When will there be enough 
sacrifices made and loss of life?
    Now I would like to turn to today's topic. I want to thank 
the witness, our witness for today, Administrator David 
Pekoske, for joining us to discuss the state of the TSA and the 
agency's budget request for fiscal year 2023.
    President Biden recently announced his intent to nominate 
Administrator Pekoske for a second 5-year term as TSA 
administrator. In that position, the administrator faces an 
enormous task.
    After more than 2 years of depressed air travel due to the 
COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people are booking flights to 
go on vacations, visit family members, and do business. 
Passenger volumes in airports and aboard airplanes are 
approaching pre-pandemic levels, which equates to a heightened 
demand for TSA's services, especially as the busy summer travel 
season approaches.
    The President's budget request contains some of the 
proposals to help TSA prepare for the 4.5 percent increase in 
travelers, over pre-pandemic levels, that the agency expects in 
fiscal year 2023.
    Most notably, the budget request contains a historic 
proposal to invest in our Transportation Security Officers, or 
TSOs, by raising their pay, expanding their collective 
bargaining rights, and enhancing their access to the Merit 
Systems Protection Board. The proposal would increase TSO pay 
by 30 percent, on average, finally providing pay in line with 
what workers at other Government agencies receive for similar 
work. Improving pay and workplace rights is essential to 
addressing TSA's long-standing challenges with employee morale 
and retention.
    I was proud to vote in favor of Chairman Thompson's bill, 
H.R. 903, the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act of 2022, when it 
passed the House 2 weeks ago. We must continue to build on that 
momentum and fully fund the budget proposal's work force 
initiatives, as well as enact H.R. 903 to make these changes 
permanent.
    Unfortunately, the budget request does not include a 
serious proposal for paying for these initiatives. The budget 
proposes reclaiming approximately $1.5 billion in revenue from 
aviation security fees that are slated to go toward reducing 
the deficit in fiscal year 2023. While I support ending the 
diversion of these fees, the legislative proposal submitted by 
the administration would treat these funds as offsetting 
collections. So TSA's direct appropriations would be reduced on 
a dollar-for-dollar basis for each fee dollar returned to the 
agency.
    Doing so would be a change in accounting, but would not 
increase the total funding available to TSA. Nevertheless, as 
the Chairwoman of this subcommittee and a Member of the 
Appropriations Committee, I am committed to finding a solution 
to this budget shortfall.
    In addition to investing in TSA's people, the budget 
request reflects TSA's plan to continue operationalizing 
innovative technology that will screen passengers and their 
belongings more quickly and effectively.
    As part of those efforts, TSA proposes $107.6 million for 
Computed Tomography, or CT, equipment through the Checkpoint 
Property Screening System, or the CPSS program, to screen 
passenger property at airport checkpoints. I am supportive of 
the CPSS program, along with many of my colleagues on this 
committee on both sides of the aisle.
    Acquiring and deploying CT machines at the rate needed to 
encounter current threats to transportation will require more 
than the budget's proposal, which would not put TSA on pace to 
finish deploying machines to every screening lane until fiscal 
year 2036. In fact, this program should be funded at a level 
closer to the $336 million authorized for fiscal year 2023 
under Ranking Member Katko's bill, H.R. 6827, which this 
committee advanced in March.
    When it comes to technology investments, I also believe TSA 
must be more robust in its efforts to provide opportunities to 
small and minority-owned businesses in order to drive 
competition and innovation.
    I have only scratched the surface of important issues 
facing TSA. I hope we will have time to explore others today, 
such as firearm encounters at checkpoints, cybersecurity 
efforts, counter-drone authorities, and surface transportation 
security in light of the recent shooting on the New York City 
subway. I appreciate the administrator's willingness to delve 
into these important issues with Members of this subcommittee.
    [The statement of Chairwoman Watson Coleman follows:]
             Statement of Chairwoman Bonnie Watson Coleman
                              May 26, 2022
    The Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security will come 
to order for today's hearing, titled ``The State of the Transportation 
Security Administration.'' Without objection, the Chair is authorized 
to declare the subcommittee in recess at any point.
    Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge the horrific shooting 
that occurred at an elementary school in Texas this week.
    My heart goes out to the victims and their families, and my 
gratitude goes to the first responders and medical professionals who 
helped prevent more loss of life and are continuing to provide care to 
victims.
    It is unfathomable that we are dealing with a situation so similar 
to the Sandy Hook massacre nearly 10 years later--and still, we seem 
incapable of taking action to prevent more tragedies from occurring.
    To those who stand in the way of sensible gun reform measures 
supported by a strong majority of Americans, I ask: When will it be 
enough?
    Turning to today's topic, I thank our witness, Administrator David 
Pekoske, for joining us today to discuss the state of the TSA and the 
agency's budget request for fiscal year 2023.
    President Biden recently announced his intent to nominate 
Administrator Pekoske for a second 5-year term as TSA administrator.
    In that position, Administrator Pekoske faces an enormous task.
    After more than 2 years of depressed air travel due to the COVID-19 
pandemic, more and more people are booking flights to go on vacation, 
visit family members, and do business.
    Passenger volumes in airports and aboard airplanes are approaching 
pre-pandemic levels, which equates to a heightened demand for TSA's 
services, especially as the busy summer travel season approaches.
    The President's budget request contains several proposals to help 
TSA prepare for the 4.5 percent increase in travelers over pre-pandemic 
levels that the agency expects in fiscal year 2023.
    Most notably, the budget request contains a historic proposal to 
invest in our Transportation Security Officers, or ``TSOs,'' by raising 
their pay, expanding their collective bargaining rights, and enhancing 
their access to the Merit Systems Protection Board.
    The proposal would increase TSO pay by 30 percent on average, 
finally providing pay in line with what workers at other Government 
agencies receive for similar work.
    Improving pay and workplace rights is essential to addressing TSA's 
long-standing challenges with employee morale and retention.
    I was proud to vote in favor of Chairman Thompson's related bill, 
H.R. 903, the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act of 2022, when it passed 
the House 2 weeks ago.
    We must build on that momentum and fully fund the budget proposal's 
workforce initiatives, as well as enact H.R. 903 to make these changes 
permanent.
    Unfortunately, the budget request does not include a serious 
proposal for paying for these initiatives.
    The budget proposes reclaiming approximately $1.5 billion in 
revenue from aviation security fees that are slated to go toward 
reducing the deficit in fiscal year 2023.
    While I support ending the diversion of these fees, the legislative 
proposal submitted by the administration would treat these funds as 
offsetting collections, so TSA's direct appropriations would be reduced 
on a dollar-for-dollar basis for each fee dollar returned to the 
agency.
    Doing so would be a change in accounting, but would not increase 
the total funding available to TSA.
    Nevertheless, as the Chairwoman of this subcommittee and a Member 
of the Appropriations Committee, I am committed to finding a solution 
to this budget shortfall.
    In addition to investing in TSA's people, the budget request 
reflects TSA's plan to continue operationalizing innovative technology 
that will screen passengers and their belongings more quickly and 
effectively.
    As part of those efforts, TSA proposes $107.6 million for Computed 
Tomography, or ``CT,'' equipment through the Checkpoint Property 
Screening System, or ``CPSS'' program, to screen passenger property at 
airport checkpoints.
    I am a supporter of the CPSS program along with many of my 
colleagues on this committee on both sides of the aisle.
    Acquiring and deploying CT machines at the rate needed to counter 
current threats to transportation will require more than the budget's 
proposal, which would not put TSA on pace to finish deploying machines 
to every screening lane until fiscal year 2036.
    This program should be funded at a level closer to the $336 million 
authorized for fiscal year 2023 under Ranking Member Katko's bill, H.R. 
6827, which this committee advanced in March.
    When it comes to technology investments, I also believe TSA must be 
more robust in its efforts to provide opportunities to small and 
minority-owned businesses in order to drive competition and innovation.
    I have only scratched the surface of important issues facing TSA.
    I hope we will have time to explore others today, such as firearm 
encounters at checkpoints, cybersecurity efforts, counter-drone 
authorities, and surface transportation security in light of the recent 
shooting on the New York City Subway.
    I appreciate the administrator's willingness to delve into these 
important issues with Members of this subcommittee.
    With that, I now recognize the Ranking Member of the subcommittee, 
the gentleman from Florida, for an opening statement.

    Mrs. Watson Coleman. With that, I will now recognize the 
Ranking Member of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Florida, 
for his opening statement.
    Mr. Gimenez. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    I too share your thoughts on the tragedy in Texas, and I am 
glad that I live in the State of Florida where we have taken 
active measures to protect our children by fortifying our 
schools and making sure that all schools have armed police 
officers there to mitigate and avert the threat created by, you 
know, mad men and women that want to hurt our children.
    So, again, I am very, very proud of what we do in Florida. 
I am very proud of what I did as mayor of Miami-Dade County, 
also having priority response teams to make sure that when such 
a threat occurs in any part of Miami-Dade, we have trained 
officers that will respond in an instant. All of our officers 
in Miami-Dade County are equipped with enhanced body armor and 
the weapons needed in order to confront such situations, 
because if we are going to ask our men and women in blue to 
help protect us, we need to give them the equipment that they 
need to do it.
    So thank you so much. Now I want to thank you again for 
holding this hearing.
    I thank the TSA Administrator David Pekoske, for being here 
to discuss the fiscal year 2023 President's budget request for 
the agency. The last 2 years have been very difficult for our 
country, and I applaud the men and women of the TSA for their 
continued dedication to securing the Nation's transportation 
system.
    Over 23,000 TSA employees have been infected with COVID-19 
and, tragically, 36 employees have died. I commend 
Administrator Pekoske for the flexible work force and lead 
policies that he implemented during the COVID-19 National 
emergency. These important work force-centered policies were 
possible thanks to the authorities granted by Congress in the 
Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001.
    The President's budget projects an increase in air travel 
volume of 4.5 percent for the next year. My home airport, Miami 
International Airport, has already seen a rise in passenger 
volume, with over 4 million travelers this month. Matter of 
fact, the airport director told me that MIA is the fastest-
growing airport in the world. This summer, TSA is expecting to 
screen upwards of 3 million passengers daily, which would beat 
the pre-pandemic record.
    I look forward to hearing from TSA on their hiring and 
retention plan to ensure that the required number of screeners 
are in place at airports Nation-wide. I am pleased that the 
President's budget finally requests funding for pay raises for 
TSA's front-line workers. During my time in Congress, I have 
vocally supported the need for increased salaries for 
Transportation Security Officers and Federal Air Marshals.
    I share my colleague's concerns that pay for the front line 
needs to be raised, and I hope to learn more detail today on 
how the administration will ensure that salary increases are 
fully funded.
    I do have concerns with a lack of investment for aviation 
security technology in the President's budget. The request for 
Computed Tomography, TSA's top procurement priority, was only 
$105 million for 108 systems. It is going to take 15 years for 
all CT systems to be procured and deployed at airports. I think 
it is a little bit excessive.
    Nation-wide, in addition, there are limited or no funding 
requests for Credential Authentication Technology, Advanced 
Imaging Technology, biometrics, and detection at range. I want 
to hear from the administrator today of what more can be done 
to prioritize and accelerate these important security 
capabilities.
    Last, I am pleased that Administrator Pekoske has been 
nominated to serve another 5 years at TSA. The agency has 
historically struggled with instability at the top, which is a 
primary reason that Congress enacted the 5-year term into law 
in 2018. I thank Administrator Pekoske for his continued 
service and steady leadership at such a critical moment in our 
Nation's history.
    Thank you, Madam Chair, and I yield back.
    [The statement of Ranking Member Gimenez follows:]
             Statement of Ranking Member Carlos A. Gimenez
    Thank you, Chairwoman Watson Coleman, for holding this hearing 
today.
    I thank TSA Administrator Dave Pekoske for being here to discuss 
the fiscal year 2023 President's budget request for the agency. The 
last 2 years have been very difficult for our country, and I applaud 
the men and women of TSA for their continued dedication to securing the 
Nation's transportation system. Over 23,000 TSA employees have been 
infected with COVID-19 and tragically, 36 employees have died. I 
commend Administrator Pekoske for the flexible workforce and leave 
policies that he implemented during the COVID-19 National emergency. 
These important, workforce-centered policies were possible thanks to 
the authorities granted by Congress in the Aviation and Transportation 
Security Act of 2001.
    The President's budget projects an increase in air travel volume of 
4.5 percent for next year. My home airport of Miami International is 
already seeing this rise in passenger volume, with over 4 million 
travelers per month this spring. This summer, TSA is expecting to 
screen upwards of 3 million passengers daily, which would beat the pre-
pandemic record. I look forward to hearing from TSA on their hiring and 
retention plan to ensure that the required number of screeners are in 
place at airports Nation-wide.
    I am pleased that the President's budget finally requests funding 
for pay raises for TSA's front-line workforce. During my time in 
Congress, I have vocally supported the need for increased salaries for 
Transportation Security Officers and Federal Air Marshals. I share my 
colleagues' concerns that pay for the front-line needs to be raised and 
I hope to learn more details today on how the administration will 
ensure these salary increases are fully funded.
    I do have concerns with the lack of investment for aviation 
security technology in the President's budget. The request for Computed 
Tomography, TSA's top procurement priority, was only $105 million for 
108 systems. It will take 15 years for all the CT systems to be 
procured and deployed to airports Nation-wide. In addition, there is 
limited or no funding requested for Credential Authentication 
Technology, Advanced Imaging Technology, biometrics, and detection at 
range. I want to hear from the administrator today on what more can be 
done to prioritize and accelerate these important security 
capabilities.
    Last, I'm pleased that Administrator Pekoske has been nominated to 
serve another 5-year term at TSA. The agency has historically struggled 
with instability at the top, which is the primary reason Congress 
enacted a 5-year term into law in 2018. I thank Administrator Pekoske 
for his continued service and steady leadership at such a critical 
National security agency. I look forward to working with you and making 
sure our Nation's transportation security is positioned to respond to 
evolving threats.
    Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, and I yield back.

    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. Gimenez.
    I am reminding Members that the committee will operate 
according to the guidelines that are laid out by the Chairman 
and the Ranking Member in their February 3, 2021, colloquy 
regarding remote procedures. Members may submit additional 
statements for the record.
    [The statement of Chairman Thompson follows:]
                Statement of Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
    Thank you to Chairwoman Watson Coleman and Ranking Member Gimenez 
for holding this hearing, and to Administrator Pekoske for joining us 
today.
    After the challenges faced by the Transportation Security 
Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic, I am thankful that the 
administration is taking concrete steps to provide TSA workers with 
improved workplace rights and a desperately needed increase in pay.
    I am committed to working with our colleagues on the Appropriations 
Committee to fully fund President Biden's budget request of $870.9 
million to increase TSO compensation and benefits and $121.2 million to 
expand collective bargaining rights and provide Merit Systems 
Protection Board appeal rights.
    But we know those actions alone will not be enough. We must fully 
enact H.R. 903, the Rights for the Transportation Security 
Administration Workforce Act, to ensure improvements for the workforce 
are codified in law.
    I would like to thank Administrator Pekoske for his support for 
H.R. 903 and ask that he continue to push for its passage in the Senate 
and enactment into law.
    We have come a long way in advancing these initiatives, and I am 
extremely hopeful about the direction in which the agency is moving.
    However, I must express my frustration that TSA has not made more 
progress in some other areas.
    For example, despite years of promises to expand opportunities for 
small and minority-owned businesses, TSA has continued to rely on a 
handful of large companies to provide screening technologies, limiting 
competition and stagnating innovation.
    Minority-owned and small businesses are able to provide more than 
just service contracts, but given the high barriers to entry in this 
space, they need a helping hand from TSA to ensure they are not left 
behind.
    I hope Administrator Pekoske will commit to working with our 
committee to develop more meaningful opportunities for small and 
minority-owned businesses to participate in screening technology 
procurement programs.
    On the topic of technology, I must also note that the funding level 
for Computed Tomography machines proposed in TSA's budget request is 
woefully inadequate to procure and deploy these machines at the speed 
necessary to counter current threats.
    Additionally, I am eager to hear the status of TSA's new Diversity, 
Equity, and Inclusion Officer position, as well as any actions taken or 
planned to implement recommendations from TSA's Inclusion Action 
Committee.
    Despite employing a majority-minority workforce, there is a 
staggering lack of diversity among TSA's leadership at the regional and 
National levels.
    It is well past time to see some change on this issue, and I hope 
the coming months and years will demonstrate TSA's commitment to 
advancing the leadership of Americans from diverse backgrounds.
    I look forward to hearing from Administrator Pekoske about TSA's 
plans for the coming fiscal year and beyond and how Congress can best 
support improvements to the agency.

    Mrs. Watson Coleman. I will now welcome our witness today. 
Mr. David Pekoske is the administrator of the Transportation 
Security Administration. He was nominated and confirmed to the 
position in 2017 for a 5-year term, and was recently 
renominated by President Biden for a second term. During this 
time as the head of TSA, he has stepped in to serve as the 
Acting Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security on 
different occasions.
    Before coming to TSA, Administrator Pekoske served as the 
26th vice commandant of the Coast Guard. We want to thank him 
for his continued service and welcome you here today, Mr. 
Administrator.
    Mr. Pekoske. Thank you, Chair----
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Without objection, the witness' full 
statement will be inserted in the record. I now ask Mr. Pekoske 
to summarize his statement for 5 minutes.
    Sorry for the interruption, Mr. Pekoske.

 STATEMENT OF DAVID P. PEKOSKE, ADMINISTRATOR, TRANSPORTATION 
                    SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

    Mr. Pekoske. Yes. Sorry for my interruption, ma'am.
    Madam Chairwoman, Ranking Member Gimenez, and distinguished 
Members of the subcommittee, first, I share both of your 
thoughts on the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, 
Texas, and I think it just impacts all of us in such a profound 
way.
    I do thank you for the opportunity to appear before you 
today and for your work in providing the authorities and 
advocating for the resources TSA needs to perform its mission.
    I have the great honor of representing our dedicated 
employees who vigilantly stand the watch today, as they have 
for the past 20 years, protecting our Nation's transportation 
systems. With them in mind, I will provide a brief update on 
the progress toward our strategic priorities and highlight the 
authorities and the resources TSA needs in the coming years to 
continue on this path.
    Three strategic priorities guide us. First, to improve 
security and safeguard the transportation system; second, to 
accelerate action; and third, commit to our people.
    TSA's most important asset is our people. We cannot be 
successful in our vital mission without a professional, 
engaged, and enabled work force. That is why I commit to our 
people as a strategic priority and why attracting and retaining 
our Transportation Security Officers, Federal Air Marshals, and 
other front-line and support personnel is critically important 
for our country's security.
    As you know, significant parts of TSA's work force are 
underpaid relative to other Federal employees. This continues 
to impede our ability to improve the overall employee 
experience and to recruit and retain staff at the levels our 
mission and the public demands. This is most acute in our 
screening operations.
    Eighty-one percent of our uniformed officers make less than 
their GS equivalent, and 50 percent of non-TSOs receive pay 
that is lower than their counterparts in most other Federal 
agencies. This is unfair, has mission impact, and I ask for 
your support to put us on an equitable footing with the rest of 
Government. I am thankful the full House recently passed H.R. 
903, the Rights of the TSA Workforce Act of 2022.
    To provide the funding to address this long-term pay 
inequity, the fiscal year 2023 budget includes an additional 
$871 million to ensure TSA employees are paid fairly. It also 
requests an additional $121 million to establish labor 
relations support, to manage expanded labor benefits for TSOs, 
and their right to appeal adverse personnel actions through the 
Merit Systems Protection Board. This will provide the labor 
relations framework called for in H.R. 903 and will put our 
Transportation Security Officers on an equal footing with the 
rest of Government.
    On May 2, the administration delivered to Congress a 
legislative proposal to increase the availability of funding to 
resource TSA's strategic priorities, including pay equity and 
full collective bargaining rights. Right now, part of the fee 
that passengers pay every time they buy an airline ticket goes 
directly to deficit reduction, not to offset the costs of 
providing aviation security. The legislative proposal that has 
been drafted for your consideration would end this diversion of 
aviation passenger security fee revenues and, instead, use all 
of that revenue to offset the appropriate funds needed for 
aviation security.
    This funding, $1.52 billion in fiscal year 2023, is very 
close to the first full year implementation costs of pay 
equity. If these long-standing pay challenges are not fully 
addressed in fiscal year 2023, I am concerned that it would 
lead to even higher rates of attrition and significantly 
undercut our recruitment efforts. We can't let this happen 
because this is a time when we need to grow. It is going to be 
a very busy summer, with travel starting this very weekend. 
Furthermore, we expect that the year-over-year passenger growth 
rates in fiscal year 2023 and beyond will return to pre-
pandemic levels.
    Our next strategic priority, accelerate action, recognizes 
that our people can be most successful if they have the right 
tools for the job. It is imperative we quickly strengthen 
checkpoint screening operations by continuing our investment in 
advanced technology. This will improve screening effectiveness, 
efficiency in the passenger experience. To that end, the fiscal 
year 2023 budget includes $105 million for the checkpoint CT X-
ray systems and $19 million for on-person screening 
improvements.
    TSA's next strategic priority is to secure and safeguard 
the Nation's transportation system. This requires a commitment 
to technology, strong partnerships, and the agility to meet 
emerging threats. Across the transportation sector, TSA 
continues to work with the owners and operators of critical 
transportation infrastructure to build cybersecurity 
resilience.
    I want to highlight the work of the oil and natural gas 
pipeline companies, freight, passenger, and transit rail 
systems, and airlines and airports for their work in rapidly 
implementing the cybersecurity directives and security program 
changes we issued over the past year.
    With respect to aviation security, I ask for continued 
support to authorize a limited test of one-stop security. This 
will improve security of participating inbound international 
flights and create efficiencies in international air travel.
    Finally, the Domestic Counter-UAS National Action Plan 
recently released by the White House recommends providing TSA 
with permanent authority to conduct counter-UAS activity in 
restricted airspace around transportation infrastructure. Thank 
you for the oversight hearing you recently held on this matter. 
A permanent authorization is very important to ensuring we 
continue our progress in addressing this threat.
    Chairwoman Watson Coleman, Ranking Member Gimenez, and 
Members of the subcommittee, thank you again for your strong 
support and the opportunity to testify before you today. I look 
forward to your questions.
    [The prepared statement of Mr. Pekoske follows:]
                 Prepared Statement of David P. Pekoske
                              May 26, 2022
    Good morning Chairwoman Watson Coleman, Ranking Member Gimenez, and 
distinguished Members of the subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to 
testify on the President's fiscal year 2023 budget request, which 
includes a $9.7 billion request for the Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA). I am honored to be here and am grateful for the 
long-standing and constructive partnership TSA enjoys with this 
subcommittee and the support you have provided over the years.
    TSA was established by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act 
in the wake of the September 11 attacks and given the urgent task of 
protecting our Nation's transportation systems. From that day forward, 
we have remained steadfast in our commitment to providing the highest 
level of security across all modes of transportation and worked with 
our partners to stay ahead of evolving threats. In the years since 9/11 
and specifically over the past fiscal year, TSA has not only had to 
address ever-present threats to aviation, but also dynamic and emerging 
cybersecurity threats to our Nation's rail and oil and gas pipeline 
infrastructure, as well as the public health threats from COVID-19. 
Yet, even as the threats we face have multiplied and diversified, our 
fundamental mission to protect the Nation's transportation systems and 
ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce has not changed. TSA 
works collaboratively with our partners to provide agile and responsive 
security across all modes of transportation through passenger and cargo 
screening; vetting and credentialing personnel in critical 
transportation sectors; law enforcement; regulatory compliance; and 
international cooperation.
    Today, within the aviation network, TSA is responsible for the 
security of over 430 Federalized airports, with screening services 
forecasted this summer servicing over 24,000 domestic flights (at pre-
pandemic levels) and nearly 3,300 outbound international flights per 
day.
    With travel volume rebounding, TSA routinely screens more than 2 
million passengers and 1.4 million checked items daily for explosives 
and other dangerous items, and in many locations, passenger volume 
growth is expected to rapidly continue and will either approach or 
exceed pre-pandemic volumes over the coming months. We also ensure 
regulatory compliance in aviation through the work of more than 940 
aviation and cargo transportation security inspectors.
    In the surface transportation realm, TSA works closely with owners 
and operators to protect the critical surface transportation systems 
that connect cities, manufacturers, and retailers and power our economy 
through more than 4 million miles of roadways; nearly 140,000 miles of 
railroad track; more than 470 tunnels; and over 2.8 million miles of 
pipeline. TSA's security inspectors conduct approximately 8,000 surface 
inspections annually in pursuing a risk-based approach for securing a 
large and complex network of transportation systems and critical 
infrastructure.
    Since TSA's creation, the modes and methods of terrorist attacks 
have become more decentralized and opportunistic than ever before, and 
aviation and transport hubs still remain highly-valued targets. Threats 
to aviation and surface transportation remain persistent, pervasive, 
and they are constantly evolving, especially in the cyber realm. To 
meet these challenges, we must continue to innovate, rapidly deploy new 
solutions, and maximize the impact of our resources.
    TSA's vision is to be an agile security agency, embodied by a 
professional workforce that engages its partners and the American 
people to address current and future challenges and threats to the 
homeland. To that end, within the first year of my term as 
administrator, I issued the ``2018-2026 TSA Strategy'' and established 
three strategic priorities to guide the agency's workforce through its 
25th Anniversary aimed to: (1) Improve Security and Safeguard the 
Nation's Transportation System; (2) Accelerate Action; and (3) Commit 
to Our People. I have twice published Administrator's Intent documents 
delineating and updating the short- and medium-term objectives to 
achieve those priorities.
    I want to thank Congress for the authorities it has provided to TSA 
through the TSA Modernization Act of 2018 as well as previous 
appropriations that have enabled us to execute our mission and make 
progress on our strategic priorities. I also want to take this 
opportunity to acknowledge the superior efforts of the entire TSA 
workforce, convey what they have accomplished, and explain our future 
goals and objectives. In fiscal year 2021, TSA:
   Screened 585.3 million travelers, an average of about 1.6 
        million passengers per day, which represents 69 percent of pre-
        COVID-19 pandemic levels in 2019. On average, 97.6 percent of 
        passengers waited less than 20 minutes at airport security 
        checkpoints, while 96.2 percent of TSA PreCheck passengers 
        waited less than 5 minutes in those lanes.
   Deployed an additional 1,520 Credential Authentication 
        Technology units and 320 Computed Tomography X-ray scanners, 
        which significantly improve security while reducing physical 
        contact.
   Enrolled 7 new airlines and 1.8 million individuals in the 
        TSA PreCheck expedited screening program, bringing the total 
        number of Known Traveler Number holders to over 27 million. 
        These programs provide more efficient screening and a better 
        checkpoint experience, while also maintaining the required 
        level of security for passengers whose backgrounds are unknown.
   Prevented 5,456 firearms--a record number--from being 
        carried into airplane passenger cabins or the secure area of 
        airports, the majority of which were loaded (84 percent).
   Trained almost 1,500 flight crew members in Crew Member 
        Self-Defense training to address increasing trends in unruly 
        passengers and partnered with the Federal Aviation 
        Administration to rescind TSA PreCheck eligibility for 
        passengers who in violation of an FAA regulation are disruptive 
        aboard flights or during security screening. TSA also expanded 
        training capacity and access by launching Transportation 
        Security Officer (TSO) new hire training at TSA Academy West 
        adjacent to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), which led 
        to 500 new hires undergoing academy training in fiscal year 
        2021.
   Issued the first-ever cybersecurity-related Security 
        Directives and Security Program Amendments that require 
        mandatory incident reporting and the adoption of mitigation 
        measures. TSA also published Information Circulars to 
        Transportation Systems Sector stakeholders on cybersecurity-
        related threats and vulnerabilities.
   Published the Air Cargo Security Roadmap--a 5-year vision 
        and strategic plan for modernizing, streamlining, and further 
        securing air cargo transportation operations.
   Established several programs and initiatives to recruit and 
        retain TSOs, including:
     A rewards program called the Model Officer Recognition 
            that provided monetary awards to more than 6,900 top 
            performing TSOs in fiscal year 2021;
     A career progression plan that provides training in 
            advanced skills and a one-time pay increase for more than 
            300 select E-Band officers that help to retain and promote 
            the best-of-the-best;
     Service pay increases for more than 35,000 TSOs that 
            rewards commitment to service and professional excellence; 
            and
     Authorized TSO retention incentives at 68 airports, 
            benefiting more than 6,000 employees Nation-wide.
   Expanded digital identity technologies to enhance the 
        passenger experience, including testing TSA PreCheck touchless 
        identity solution, collaborating with Apple and other industry 
        stakeholders to incorporate mobile Driver's Licenses (mDL) into 
        security checkpoint operations, and publishing an Identity 
        Management Roadmap which lays out a comprehensive end-to-end 
        strategy for identity management at TSA.
   Established two unmanned aircraft system (UAS) pilot 
        programs--one at Miami International Airport and the other at 
        Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)--to test and evaluate 
        detection, tracking, and identification technology for UAS that 
        enter restricted air space.
    We have also strengthened partnerships across the spectrum--from 
private industry, to foreign partners, to advisory committees, to 
academia, to State and local governments and our Federal partners--to 
increase security and adapt to the new travel environment, while 
maximizing the customer experience and minimizing any negative impacts 
on travelers and commerce.
    The fiscal year 2023 President's budget aligns with TSA's strategy 
to improve security and safeguard the Nation's transportation system, 
accelerate action, and reinforce TSA's commitment to its people. Thanks 
to Congress' support for TSA through the fiscal year 2022 
appropriation, the fiscal year 2023 budget builds upon our progress by 
continuing to fund the recurring infrastructure backbone needed in 
TSA's 24/7 operational mission. The fiscal year 2023 budget honors 
commitments to our workforce by providing more equitable compensation 
and other benefits while addressing capability gaps to ensure that the 
Nation's transportation security remains the safest in the world.
    TSA cannot be successful without our professional, vigilant, and 
engaged workforce. That is why ``Commit to our People'' is one of our 
three strategic priorities. Significant parts of our workforce are 
underpaid relative to other Federal Government employees and impedes 
our ability to improve the overall employee experience. Without pay 
equity, TSA will continue to struggle with recruitment, career 
development, and retention. To address this long-term inequity, the 
fiscal year 2023 budget includes $871 million \1\ to ensure TSA 
employees are paid at a level that is commensurate with their 
counterparts on the General Schedule pay scale. Further, an additional 
$121 million is requested to establish a labor relations support 
capability to manage expanded labor benefits for TSOs and the right for 
employees to appeal adverse personnel actions through the Merit Systems 
Protection Board.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Assumes second quarter implementation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    TSA expects passenger volume to rival our fiscal year 2019 levels, 
and on some days, possibly reach up to 3 million passengers per day, 
higher than the daily record of 2.8 million in 2019. This budget 
includes $243 million to enable TSA to continue to recruit and retain a 
workforce able to meet increasing demands of passenger travel volume, 
while also ensuring adherence to passenger wait time standards, and 
maintaining security effectiveness. TSA's pay equity plan provides that 
our TSO workforce, which has lagged behind its Federal counterparts, 
will see an average 30 percent increase in base pay while Federal air 
marshals will see an average 20 percent increase in their base pay. 
Other TSA employees, such as intelligence analysts, inspectors, canine 
handlers, and non-screening administrative employees at our Nation's 
airports will also see an increase in base pay commensurate with their 
Federal colleagues.
    A well-trained, appropriately compensated, and sufficiently-sized 
workforce will still only be successful if they have the right tools 
for the job. That is why TSA is also focused on accelerating action to 
strengthen checkpoint operations through development and acquisition of 
new technology. Access to technology helps our passenger screening 
workforce mitigate wait times by allowing them to assess potential 
threats quickly and efficiently. To that end, the fiscal year 2023 
budget includes $105 million for the Checkpoint Property Screening 
System program and $19 million for On-Person Screening Algorithm 
Development to address capability gaps to detect new and evolving 
threats to civil aviation in current property screening technology 
reliably and efficiently, while improving the passenger experience.
    Securing and safeguarding the Nation's transportation system 
requires innovative tactics to address cybersecurity threats and risks 
associated with the continued integration of advanced electronic and 
networked systems. The fiscal year 2023 budget requests $23.5 million 
to enable early detection and dramatically improve the cybersecurity of 
TSA networks and our ability to protect TSA's sensitive data. Across 
the transportation sector, TSA continues to help partners build 
cybersecurity resilience and improve incident response, focusing on the 
pipeline, rail, and aviation sectors. With those stakeholders, TSA 
hosts a variety of planning meetings, intelligence briefings, and 
tabletop exercises. I have personally visited pipeline companies and 
other critical infrastructure operators to discuss the evolving 
cybersecurity threat, and to understand the challenges and successes of 
implementing the current security directives.
    Finally, in conjunction with the fiscal year 2023 President's 
budget, the administration offered two proposals to increase 
availability of funding to resource TSA's strategic priorities and help 
TSA address emerging threats. First, it includes a legislative proposal 
to terminate TSA's deficit reduction contributions from Passenger Fee 
collections, which, if enacted, will provide an additional $1.5 billion 
to directly offset TSA's appropriated funding and return the funds to 
use for their intended purpose. Second, the budget includes a 
legislative proposal to transition access control at exit lanes to 
airport authorities and commercial airports under Federal regulatory 
authorities, which will result in a projected savings of $94.1 million 
and 1,090 full-time employees in the first year. If approved, TSA will 
work with airports to integrate exit lane security into their perimeter 
security plans and assess those plans regularly. The proposal will 
enable TSA to better focus its resources on screening functions and 
risk-based security measures.
    The administration has also recently provided Congress with a 
legislative proposal requesting extension of the Department's 
countering unmanned aircraft systems authority, which includes a 
request to provide TSA with authority to mitigate drone activity in 
restricted airspace at airports and other transportation modes. If 
granted, this authority would empower TSA to take steps to prevent 
potential drone threats that could interfere with aircraft operations, 
jeopardize traveler safety, and undermine airport security.
    Securing our Nation's transportation system is a complex task that 
requires robust partnerships and a well-trained, dedicated workforce. 
Funding in the fiscal year 2023 budget will have a positive impact on 
all TSA employees--from uniformed officers, Federal Air Marshals, 
inspectors, canine handlers, analysts, and management to administrative 
and professional employees--as well as on transportation security and 
the passenger experience. To achieve the priorities reflected within 
the fiscal year 2023 President's budget, we will continue to engage 
with industry and stakeholders, invest resources in our employees and 
technology, and encourage the public to be part of the solution. 
Finally, through constructive oversight and dialog, we seek to continue 
to partner with Congress as we work to secure all modes of 
transportation for the public.
    Chairwoman Watson Coleman, Ranking Member Gimenez, and Members of 
the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you 
today. I look forward to this discussion and your questions.

    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Administrator. I want you 
to know that you answered my first question to you.
    So, without objection, Members who are not on the 
committee, if there are any--I can't see, but if there are any, 
please allow them to be seated and allow them to question the 
witness.
    I want to thank you for your testimony. I want to remind 
all of the Members of the subcommittee that we will each have 5 
minutes to question the panel. I will now recognize myself for 
the first questions.
    Thank you for your comments regarding the necessity for 
Congress to fund the additional resources to be able to pay the 
TSOs and other TSA employees a fairer wage commensurate with 
what other agencies pay like individuals. Also, thank you for 
your support for the additional issues: Bargaining rights and 
merit-based access.
    I agree with you that this really impacts your ability to 
not only recruit but to retain, and as we see the travel 
increase and we see the new technologies that you are bringing 
on board, we need an educated, experienced, and well-trained 
work force. So to that degree, I salute your making that a 
priority, and it certainly is one of mine.
    But, Mr. Pekoske, 55 percent of TSA's work force is made up 
of people of color, making it one of the most diverse agencies 
in Government. However, TSA's senior leaders look quite 
different. Of TSA's 66 Federal security directors managing 
large work forces, 53 are White and 54 are men. I am frustrated 
by the lack of TSA's progress in diversifying its senior ranks.
    Now, I understand that TSA is planning to hire a chief 
diversity officer to help address this and other issues, but it 
has taken quite awhile. When do you think this is going to 
happen? What will be the role of the chief diversity officer? 
How can you ensure that the position is appropriately 
empowered, located organizationally, and funded?
    Mr. Pekoske. Chairwoman Watson Coleman, first, to go back 
to the pay issue just briefly, that is my top priority. It is 
so important for this agency that we get to the point where we 
pay our work force fairly, but I will exert every effort I can 
to answer questions and to help Congress' consideration in 
passing the proposal in the fiscal year 2023 budget.
    With respect to diversity, I agree with your comment, and 
that is also a very top priority of mine. We have established a 
DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion, officer position in TSA. 
It is brand-new----
    [Audio malfunction.]
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. I am sorry. I cannot hear you. Are you 
on mute?
    Mr. Pekoske. I don't think so.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. I hear you now.
    Mr. Pekoske. Sorry.
    We established a diversity, equity, and inclusion officer 
position in TSA. I believe that we are one of the only agencies 
in the Federal Government that has such a position. This is 
different from our Civil Rights, Liberties, and the Office of 
Traveler Engagement. I expect to bring a DEI officer on at the 
SES level sometime within the next month. We are very close to 
the end of that hiring process.
    What I have asked that person to do in the position to 
perform is to take a look at the Inclusion Action Committee 
plan that was submitted. We formed an Inclusion Action 
Committee back in 2020, right after the George Floyd murder, 
and they put forth some excellent recommendations as to how we 
can address this from a very strategic level within the agency.
    The diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, the DEI 
officer, will report directly to me, will have the financial 
resources necessary to continue with the IAC's work. That 
inclusion action committee is not just a one-shot committee. It 
is going to be a continuing committee within the agency. We 
just solicited for a new slate of members to come in, so we 
will change out the members on a rotating basis over the course 
of the years.
    But I pledge to you that this is an extremely high priority 
for TSA, and I think that our diversity at the entry level of 
the agency, to your point, ma'am, ought to be reflected in the 
senior levels of the organization, and I will do everything I 
can to get us to that point.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. Pekoske. To that end, 
could you lay out for us some of the plans that TSA has for 
providing sort-of career opportunities and pathways for those 
who can be promoted into leadership? What will you actually be 
expecting your offices to do?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. That is a really important point 
because I think, to be successful, this needs to be embedded 
throughout the organization. You know, time and time again, 
when we ask an employee how they feel about the work 
environment, how they feel about their potential for 
advancement in the agency, oftentimes they are most affected by 
their direct supervisor. So we need to put a lot of effort 
toward training our direct supervisors in how to develop the 
men and women that work for them and how to advocate for them 
in their careers. So, you know, I think that effort in and of 
itself will be significant for TSA.
    But the other part of this that is very important is to see 
from the top that there is not just a momentary look at these 
issues, that there is a persistent look at how we are doing and 
a persistent check on our own metrics. You know, how are we 
doing in bringing diversity into all levels of the agency? When 
you look at just the senior level, you really have to look down 
a couple and to see, hey, how much diversity do you have in the 
middle management that will become your senior leaders in a few 
years? So I think it needs to be a very holistic approach 
across the agency.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, administrator. I think we 
should pursue that just a little bit more, maybe in a second 
round, because having this desire to do it but then thinking 
about how we can hold people accountable and get it done is 
like a whole other discussion.
    I would now like to recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. 
Gimenez from Florida, for his 5 minutes of questions.
    Mr. Gimenez. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
    Given that there is really not bipartisan support for the 
agency's wholesale move to Title V and that Congress is not 
likely to make changes to the 9/11 Passenger Security Fee, can 
you commit to this committee that DHS will raise the pay for 
the TSA front-line work force regardless?
    Mr. Pekoske. Sir, DHS is under significant fiscal pressure 
across the entire enterprise. You know, I would fund part of 
this out of my own appropriation if I had the room to do that. 
I simply do not. When you are looking at $871 million for 
three-quarters' pay for the first year and then moving up to 
$1.5 billion in the second year, that is a figure that is well 
beyond the agency's ability to resource. It needs to be 
additional top line.
    Sir, as you know, and as the Chairwoman mentioned, I spent 
some time as the deputy secretary of the Department twice, and 
so I had oversight over the Department's budget. The 
Department's budget is incredibly tight. There is no room at 
all in that budget for initiatives that are substantial like 
this.
    The other thing I would say is that we tried, and I 
received great support from the Congress, to make some marginal 
improvements. We began in fiscal year 2021 by adding more funds 
into the pay accounts to put some initiatives in place. While 
they were beneficial and while they were successful, they 
weren't anywhere near enough to get us where we need to be.
    When you are talking about a 30 percent pay differential at 
the Transportation Security Officer level, and then even beyond 
that, if you look at the Federal Air Marshals, there is about a 
20 percent gap with what they would get if they were working in 
another Federal agency. It is just not possible for us to close 
that gap within our own resource base.
    Mr. Gimenez. Now, if you had--if Congress had moved your 
agency into, I guess they call it Title V, OK, then wouldn't 
you have needed this money then? In other words, if we had 
moved you to Title V, you wouldn't have been able--you would 
have needed an increase in order to achieve that. Is that 
correct?
    Mr. Pekoske. Sir, my understanding is if it was just a move 
to Title V without a corresponding appropriation to do that, 
yes, sir, you are right, we would have to find the money. The 
``we'' would be not just TSA and not just the Department of 
Homeland Security, it would be the rest of the Federal 
Government would have to find a way to fund this.
    Mr. Gimenez. Did you request additional funding for pay 
raises for TSA employees?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir, in the 2023 budget, $871 million.
    Mr. Gimenez. Did you request it in the President's budget?
    Mr. Pekoske. It is in the President's budget.
    Mr. Gimenez. It is in the President's budget?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir.
    Mr. Gimenez. So the additional money is in the budget 
request right now?
    Mr. Pekoske. It is, yes, sir.
    Mr. Gimenez. OK. All right. Fair enough.
    So then, if we approve the budget, then you can give the 
raises?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. But you would have to approve the 
budget and approve the offset that is offered, which is to end 
the diversion of the aviation security passenger fee to deficit 
reduction and put it back to supporting aviation security.
    Mr. Gimenez. OK. I don't quite understand that. OK. So is 
that--who took that step? Is that the administration that took 
that step or--who took that step?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes. Well, that is part of the President's 
proposal in the fiscal year 2023 budget. So he proposed for 
three-quarters of your funding, because you can't expend the 
funds in the first quarter because it will take you about 90 
days to retool your pay systems. But for three-quarters of your 
funding in the first year and then full year funding 
thereafter.
    So let's just talk about full-year funds for a moment. 
Let's say $1.5 billion in the first year of implementation. The 
source of funds was to end the fee diversion that began in 2013 
that was supposed to be temporary, that was extended again. Now 
it goes out to, I believe, fiscal 2027. What that fee does, as 
I understand it, is revenues come in from those fees and they 
directly offset TSA's appropriations. So what that means is 
lower levels of appropriated funds are needed to get us to the 
overall level of appropriations that TSA requires.
    So our budget is a combination of passenger fee revenue 
offset and appropriations.
    Mr. Gimenez. Could we do something at airports to increase 
passenger fees in order to fund TSA, or is that something that 
you guys can't get your hands on?
    Mr. Pekoske. Sir, we don't think we need to do that. You 
know, there is--and it is just by coincidence, but there is 
$1.5 billion that is being collected from passengers every time 
they buy a ticket that is not going to any purpose with respect 
to aviation security. It is going right to deficit reduction.
    And so what we are proposing is just end that practice, put 
it back to its original purpose.
    Mr. Gimenez. Got it. OK. Thank you. Thank you so much.
    My time is up, and I yield back.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Ranking Member.
    The Chair will now recognize other Members for questions 
they may wish to ask the witness. In accordance with the 
guidelines that were laid out by the Chairman and Ranking 
Member in their February 3, 2021, colloquy, I will recognize 
Members in order of seniority, alternating between Majority and 
Minority Members. Members are also reminded to unmute 
themselves when recognized for questioning.
    The Chair recognizes Representative Norman for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Norman. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
    Administrator Pekoske, thank you for coming today. You have 
got a big job. I don't envy what you are facing now.
    You know, I guess your job is going to be--is heightened 
because of what this administration is doing to let pretty much 
everybody in this country, without any regard for who is coming 
in, whether they have got a criminal background. It is just 
pretty much open doors for everybody, and you are going to face 
the backlash or having to deal with it as your job as 
administrator to TSA.
    You were going over your main focus points and main goals. 
Could you list your top three that you consider priorities for 
you?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. The top three would be, first and 
foremost, achieving pay equity. That is so critical to our 
continued success.
    The second would be to bring advanced technology into place 
in our screening process, because that makes our screening much 
more effective and also more efficient as we do it.
    The third would be to apply new technologies to get at 
emerging threats, for example, counter-UAS operations. I mean, 
we see these threats developing. Some of them are already 
present, and we just need to have the capability to fully 
detect, track, identify, and to counter if necessary.
    Mr. Norman. What about--would you say the overriding 
priority of you is to keep Americans safe while they travel?
    Mr. Pekoske. Sir, my overriding priority is to ensure that 
there is not a terrorist attack on the transportation system.
    Mr. Norman. OK. So that is for the--is it fair to say your 
overriding priority is, in your job, to keep Americans safe 
above and beyond anything else?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir, to keep the transportation system 
secure.
    Mr. Norman. OK. Now, there are some changes coming with 
TSA, reduced pat-downs, gender-neutral screening technology. 
Can you just briefly--what is a--what kind of reductions in 
pat-downs will you be administering to people, and will you be 
going by a gender identification, or how will that work?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. That is for our on-person screening. 
Every single thing we do, if we change our procedures or if we 
change our technology, every time we do that, it has an 
enhancement, not a degradation to security.
    Mr. Norman. OK.
    Mr. Pekoske. So this new software that we are putting in 
our on-person screening system actually improves security, 
while at the same time it reduces the false alarm rate, because 
when you go to the----
    Mr. Norman. No. Let me just interrupt you. What I am trying 
to get to--and my time is running out--on your reduced pat-
downs that is in the document that I have got in front of me 
that you are doing, how does that--what kind of reductions will 
you not be doing specifically? Just name me two.
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. I will give you a very quick global 
answer. The technology has a false alarm rate. The new software 
reduces that false alarm rate. So some of the pat-downs we 
currently conduct, we don't need to because the technology has 
advanced. The software upgrades the technology to reduce the 
need for those pat-downs.
    Mr. Norman. OK. Will that go on the biological sex----
    Mr. Pekoske. Well, what that----
    Mr. Norman [continuing]. Instead of the gender 
identification?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. Currently, in the current 
technology, the officer needs to select the gender that he or 
she sees in the passenger when the passenger approaches. The 
new software upgrades have no requirement to do that. The 
software is that much better. You do not need to select gender. 
It automatically checks everything and its detectability is 
much better. So it is security improvements.
    Mr. Norman. OK. But the pat-downs, I guess the reduced pat-
downs is what you are focusing on with the new technology that 
you are talking about?
    Mr. Pekoske. We are actually focusing on both. We want to 
improve security, and in doing that, we found that we could 
reduce the false alarm rate, which means that some of the pat-
downs we have been doing with this new software upgrade won't 
be necessary. So we will still do the pat-downs that are 
necessary, but we won't do pat-downs that now the technology 
has advanced to the point where we don't need to do them.
    Mr. Norman. OK. Well, my time is running out, but I hope 
you will stress the security for this country of people getting 
on the airplane that are secure now. You are going to have 
challenges as never seen before, which is a direct 
responsibility of this administration, which you are just not 
doing.
    So I appreciate your time here, and thank you so much.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you very much.
    The Chair now recognizes Representative Van Drew.
    Mr. Van Drew. Thank you, Chairwoman and Ranking Member. I 
want to thank the administrator for being here.
    You know, I think as you all know, the largest Federal Air 
Marshal Training Center is located in my district in Atlantic 
City, and it is 85 percent of all training is done at this 
facility, which includes basic, advanced, and recurrent 
training. The Center does an excellent job, proud of the job 
they do in aiding and training our air marshals, and I am proud 
to have its presence in my district.
    The Federal Flight Deck Officer Program, which also is done 
at the facility, is another example of the great work the 
facility can do and does. I understand that there have been 
some delays in getting pilots into the program, which is 
concerning because--given the increase in airline travel, 
especially in very recent months.
    Can you please tell me what steps the TSA is taking to 
address the delays, as well as what the TSA is doing to 
streamline the application process?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. Thank you for your question. Let me 
start by highlighting ACY in our training center up there just 
like you did. It is a significant facility for us, trains not 
just our Federal Air Marshals, but we do conduct a lot of 
leadership training up at ACY at the facility there. You will 
see, sir, more training being conducted up there in the coming 
years because we are doing more centralized training rather 
than individual FAM field office training.
    So I appreciate all the work that the team does up there, 
and I appreciate your visits and your support of them in that 
regard.
    On the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program, it is a 
terrific program. It has been very, very valuable to us as an 
agency, to the American public for security as they are flying. 
We have started classes again for the FFDO program, so we have 
8 classes going on this fiscal year, and there are 32 
participants in each one of those classes. Then we are going to 
double that next year, so you will have 16 classes with 32 
participants per class.
    We are also looking at how we do the recurring training, 
because Federal Flight Deck Officers need to go through initial 
training in Artesia, New Mexico, and then they go through 
recurrent training. Those recurrent training sites are at 
Dallas-Ft. Worth, at Atlantic City, and then we are developing 
one in Atlanta, trying to get to major hubs to make it easier 
for the Federal Flight Deck Officers.
    I am going to conduct a review of the entire FFDO program 
over the next several months to find ways that we can make it 
even stronger.
    But, in conclusion, let me just thank the pilots and the 
first officers that volunteer their time to participate in this 
program, because they add an additional layer of security for 
us, and to thank the carriers that permit them to do this. It 
is a great program, and I am committed to making it as 
effective as we possibly can.
    Mr. Van Drew. Thank you.
    So your sense would be that we are getting this delay 
issue, it will be under control. You are going to grab this and 
run with it?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. It is well on its way to recovering 
from the pandemic.
    Mr. Van Drew. OK. Just to clarify for my mind, how often is 
the training provided to both officers and crew members? How 
many crew members are trained on an annual basis?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, sir. The crew members are--you know, for 
example, since last July, we have trained over 3,200 crew 
members in self-defense training, and this is done by the 
Federal Air Marshals. What we did this year is a little 
different than what we have done in the past. We used to do it 
at all of our Federal Air Marshal field offices. We found that 
it was better, more convenient, we got more participants if we 
used airline facilities to do it as well. So roughly now about 
80 percent of our crew member self-defense training is done in 
the airline facilities. So I appreciate them providing us the 
facilities to conduct this training.
    Finally, you know, one of the groups that are unsung heroes 
of the pandemic, particularly in the past year where there were 
so many in-flight instances of physical assault and just unruly 
behavior, you know, is the flight attendants that took the 
large brunt of that work. You know, I just think we all owe 
them an incredible debt of gratitude for the work they do.
    Mr. Van Drew. I agree with you on that. I thank you for 
your work as well.
    With that, Chairwoman, I yield back.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Congressman.
    I now recognize Mrs. Miller-Meeks for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Miller-Meeks. Thank you, Chairwoman Watson Coleman. 
Also thank you to Administrator Pekoske for being here with us 
today.
    As a physician, I am very interested in the introduction of 
Computed Tomography, CT, for carry-on baggage screening, which 
provides higher fidelity screening, automatic threat detection, 
and the ability to detect smaller threat sizes. Passengers have 
a more seamless experience going through security and in 
handling their bags. I think, administrator, that you called 
this technology a game-changer for the TSA.
    But the fiscal year 2023 President's budget requests only 
$105 million for 108 systems. At this rate, it would take about 
15 years to complete the deployment of CT. I realize that the 
budget top line is tight, but are you not being more aggressive 
to deploy this game-changer technology at all airports around 
the country?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. Thank you for the question. It is 
a top-line constraint issue. We are ready to purchase more of 
those systems. We have contracts in place that we just need to 
be able to execute them. You know, what was mentioned earlier 
by the Chairwoman, is it is going to take us until fiscal 2036 
to get this technology in place. That is a very, very long 
time.
    So, you know, with additional top-line, additional 
resources, we could do it much faster. This is a situation 
where, you know, you have a Federal agency that has the 
contracts already in place. It is not like this is a concept. 
We have deployed a number already. We know exactly what we want 
to buy. We have got a good pipeline of companies that are in 
the competition to do this and, you know, we just need to--if 
we had more top-line, we would buy more would be the answer.
    Mrs. Miller-Meeks. So my assumption would be if that was 
the--you know, why the $19 million in funding was requested in 
the President's budget?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. The money for the CPSS, you know, 
a hundred-plus million dollars and then the $19 million was to 
upgrade the software for the on-person screening system. So 
that is a lot less expensive because it doesn't require a 
hardware change.
    Mrs. Miller-Meeks. I am also pleased to see that the TSA 
has used the biometric technology on airport and checkpoints, 
as well as a rollout of mobile driver's licenses in some 
States. However, TSA still needs to procure over 3,500 
Credential Authentication Technology readers for identity 
verification at airports Nation-wide.
    The fiscal year 2023 President's budget requested funding 
for only 75 CAT machines. Why is the amount so low, and did you 
request a higher amount?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. First, on the Credential 
Authentication Technology machine, you know, you are right, it 
does validate the identity of a passenger, which is one of the 
very unique aspects of the U.S. transportation security system.
    But the other thing that it does is it also checks in real 
time a passenger's risk status. So as the passenger inserts 
their driver's license, or now with mobile driver's licenses 
just taps their iPhone on a reader, in real time, that 
information is being compared to the risk profile that we have 
for passengers, you know, whether passengers are PreCheck, 
standard, or a passenger who needs additional screening.
    Additionally, we have near-real time information on their 
flight status. So we know that they haven't made a change in 
their flight, that they do have a flight out of that airport on 
that day. So it is a huge enhancement.
    Part of the reason for the budget request is a little bit 
of supply chain issues, but it is a lot of lack of top line, 
because these are relatively--individually, they are relatively 
inexpensive machines, but we just need a lot of them. We need 
about almost 3,600 of these machines across the system.
    A change we made about 2 years ago, just got approved by 
the Department, is to put this technology in every single 
airport. It was originally envisioned only for the larger 
airports. But as you know, in our system, once you are in one 
airport, you are in the entire system. So it is important that 
we verify identity and make sure that the proper screening is 
provided based on the passenger's risk profile at the airport 
of entry.
    Mrs. Miller-Meeks. I have experienced it first-hand, and 
you are right, I think it is, you know, amazing technology that 
makes it also better for the TSA and seamless for the 
passenger.
    So thank you so much, Administrator Pekoske, for appearing 
now today and for all the work you are doing at TSA. We also 
agree that, you know, TSA and our flight attendants have really 
performed admirably during the pandemic in a very difficult 
time.
    Thank you, Madam Chair. I yield back.
    Mr. Pekoske. Thank you.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Representative Miller-
Meeks.
    I now recognize Representative Sheila Jackson Lee for 5 
minutes.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Can I be heard, Madam Chair?
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Yes, you can.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you so very much.
    Let me thank you for holding this hearing, and as well, let 
me thank the administrator for his service. We have some very 
challenging times.
    Let me just get an overall assessment, and my time is 
short, I realize it, just a very brief assessment. What do you 
feel the state of the agency is in the aftermath of the 
pandemic, meaning, what your TSOs had to confront being 
probably on the front line before COVID was really diagnosed? 
They were not prepared because of our lack of information, the 
government. You subsequently provided shields and masks. But 
what is the aftermath of the pandemic on TSOs?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. Thank you for recognizing the 
TSOs. I mean, as you noted, they served throughout the pandemic 
to ensure that passengers could travel in this country, very 
similar to the service they provided when the Government shut 
down for 35 days. They didn't stop their work then either. So I 
am incredibly proud of the work force. You are right, we did 
everything we could when we had the knowledge to make sure we 
provided protections to this work force, and we continue to do 
so today.
    You know, the things we have learned in the process is 
that, you know, we need to look at technology solutions that 
reduce contact. If you think of--you know, we were just talking 
about the Credential Authentication Technology. I know, ma'am, 
you probably use that technology as you travel. There is a lot 
less contact. You know, you are not taking your driver's 
license and handing it to somebody and they are handling it, 
for example, or your passport. Or when you go and use the CT X-
ray, you take fewer things out of your carry-on bag. A lot of 
the discrepancies that an officer might see on the image, they 
can resolve on the machine itself without having to search a 
bag.
    Then if you think about----
    Ms. Jackson Lee. It makes it safer. Thank you.
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. The next thing would be, if you 
look at the on-person screening--and in this budget is the 
proposal to improve the software for on-person screening, which 
makes security better and lowers the false alarm rate. With a 
lower false alarm rate, there are fewer pat-downs you do. So 
that is probably the closest in the course of a screening 
operation that a passenger and a TSO come to each other. So if 
we can reduce that, that also provides more protection for 
everyone.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. My time is very short. Let me ask you to 
abbreviate your answers.
    [Inaudible] technology and security, the topic of this 
[inaudible] there is some issue with women's clothing and 
algorithms. Can you just very briefly and just--I have several 
questions. Are you handling this issue of [inaudible] to this 
new technology? Yes or no?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. I am sorry. Your communication is 
very garbled. I think we have got a bad connection, so I 
couldn't hear your question.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. [Inaudible.]
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Congresswoman, we cannot hear you.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Am I [inaudible]----
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. We were not able to hear your 
question.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Can I be heard? [Inaudible.]
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Congresswoman, we can't hear you. You 
are talking----
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Can you hear me now?
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. You are garbled.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Can you hear me now?
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Yes.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. [Inaudible.]
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. No. Allow us--your time has expired as 
well, and perhaps you could work on this as we go through a 
second round of questioning. We could come back to you.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. So, administrator, we are going to go 
through an abbreviated second round of questions, and I am 
going to start with a question that I have.
    This committee has long pushed TSA to expand its work with 
small and minority-owned businesses providing screening 
technologies. We understand that TSA has met some of its small 
business contracting goals but has done so primarily through 
its service contracts rather than through screening technology 
awards. Too often, TSA has relied on a small handful of large 
companies to provide these screening technologies, which has 
limited competition and innovation. This has become very 
frustrating to us as we have not seen the kind of progress on 
this topic.
    What has TSA done to proactively seek out small businesses 
and minority businesses that could offer innovative screening 
solutions? For example, has TSA made contact with small 
businesses that provide screening technologies in health care, 
in that industry? Also do you believe a dedicated funding 
stream to support the research and development of promising 
technologies offered by small businesses would help to support 
innovation at TSA?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. I appreciate your comments. You 
are right, I mean, we have actually met or exceeded all of our 
small business goals year after year, but that is primarily on 
the services side, not on the technology acquisition side.
    As we embarked on our CT acquisition, for example, you 
know, we have actively sought small business participation in 
that process, and we do still have a small business in active 
competition for CT qualification. They are not quite fully 
there yet, but they are still very much in the mix, if you 
will, for completing our process and then being able to compete 
for task order awards.
    One of the things that we are doing is we are requiring our 
vendors now to provide their hardware solutions in open 
architecture format, which means that we would get the machine 
and the operating system for the machine, but it would produce 
the data from its image taking in a standardized format in a 
way that we could purchase through small business vendors and 
other vendors additional software layers that we feel would 
provide a whole lot more agility for us and a lot of 
opportunity for small businesses to participate in this 
procurement.
    So open architecture is one way of getting small business 
participation, and I would submit that we are leading in that 
effort as well.
    Then, finally, very quickly----
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Yes. What about the dedicated funding 
stream? Thank you.
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. We have conducted industry days. 
We have reached out to small businesses that do, because, you 
are right, the CT X-ray technology is medical technology 
essentially, and we have been very aggressive in trying to 
garner small business participation.
    With respect to a dedicated funding stream, my concern with 
that, I don't have a conceptual objection to that at all, but 
my concern would be with a small--you know, you already 
observed and other Members have observed that our funding 
stream for this technology is small already. If it gets further 
restricted in terms of its use, it might slow us down in being 
able to put the technology we need in place. But, you know, the 
CT X-ray system, if the fiscal year 2023 budget is funded as 
submitted, will still be only at 39 percent complete. So there 
is a lot of runway left in this acquisition. The Credential 
Authentication Technology will only be at 58 percent.
    So there is still a lot more opportunity there, and we are 
committed to making that aperture wider for small businesses.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you.
    I now recognize Mr. Gimenez for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Gimenez. Thank you.
    I have no further questions. Thank you very much. I 
appreciate it. I yield back.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you very much.
    Then, in accordance with the sort-of rotation between 
Minority and Majority, I will now recognize Representative 
Sheila Jackson Lee.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Can I be heard?
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Yes, ma'am. Speak while you can be 
heard.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. All right. Thank you.
    Let me continue. Administrator--thank you, Madam Chair.
    I do have a short period of time, and so if I could go back 
to the security issue, and this is about the algorithms based 
upon the new technology that you have. It is my understanding 
that there is some issue with women's clothing and the 
algorithms used to determine if secondary screening is 
necessary.
    So I want to know if you are aware of that. Have you 
addressed some of those difficulties in making sure that we 
have a strong security process but that we limit the false 
positives? Yes or no?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. We are working on other software 
upgrades for that technology and a hardware upgrade that will 
provide high-definition sensors inside the existing 
architecture. So that should help address those issues as well, 
but we will continue to test for it and work on it.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Can you also tell me whether there is 
enhanced training regarding--for the TSOs and management as 
relates to human trafficking detection? Have you had on the 
system reports of efforts of human trafficking going through 
your security points and how you handled that?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes, ma'am. We provide training on human 
trafficking. It is a very important priority for us to make 
sure our Federal Air Marshals and our screening officers can 
identify the signs of human trafficking. We have had some cases 
where our officers have identified potential situations.
    The other thing, very quickly, is we are in the same 
Cabinet department as Homeland Security Investigations. They do 
amazing work in this category, and we have a very, very strong 
relationship with them in this regard.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. What has been the training protocols now 
for TSOs?
    A couple of years ago, we advocated for the training in the 
school in Georgia, and they went there immediately upon hire. 
How do you handle their training now to make them the most 
efficient and the most effective?
    Mr. Pekoske. Ma'am, we still use the Glynco, Georgia 
facility for part of our training. We are opening up another--
an academy west, if you will. The TSA Academy is at Glynco. The 
Academy West, another satellite, is at Las Vegas airport, at 
Harry Reid Airport. That is still working in a development 
stage. It has got students going through it, but it will be up 
to full speed beginning next year.
    The other thing we are doing, very important, is we are 
taking that academy training which is currently 2 weeks and 
making it 3 weeks. That additional third week is focused on de-
escalation techniques and trying to provide techniques for 
enhancing the passenger experience.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. If I might follow up with this quick 
question, Madam Chair. With respect to that, just quickly say, 
do they get the training upon hiring or do they work for a 
little bit and then go through the training? Yes or no? Yes on 
hiring or later?
    Mr. Pekoske. They get it both times, ma'am. You know, we 
have--for human trafficking training is what I think you are 
referring to, they will get it upon hire through the academy.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. No. Just the regular training, sir.
    Mr. Pekoske. The regular training? They get it at----
    Ms. Jackson Lee. They go at the beginning?
    Mr. Pekoske. They go at the beginning, usually within the 
first 6 to 8 months of their time at TSA. Then there is 
regular, annual recurring training as well.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Right. Let me finish on this issue of a 
question of poor morale. That deals a lot with the question of 
National security.
    So, as you well know, you have gone through a period of 
allegations of mismanagement, poor procedures, retaliation 
against whistleblowers, et cetera. In order to have a strong 
and effective team--which we all appreciate. They are the front 
line for security, and I want all of your TSOs and TSAs to know 
that, how much respect I have for them and how much work I have 
done with them across the Nation.
    But what are you doing now to deal specifically with that 
question so that we have a very sharply defined and efficient 
and proficient security team at the TSO point of security in 
our airports and other places?
    Mr. Pekoske. Yes. Representative Jackson Lee, we have made 
good progress on all three of those categories, on retaliation, 
mismanagement, and whistleblower complaints. I mean, they are 
all down compared to where they were several years ago. So the 
trend lines are in the right direction. That doesn't mean we 
have taken our pedal off the gas on this at all, because it is 
really, really important that we make more progress in this 
regard.
    But I think too that our ability to pay people equitably 
will help with overall workplace morale. It will also help us 
attract the very best people into TSA and to keep the talent 
that we have. So all those things together I think will 
forecast for continued good progress in this area.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. I take it that, Mr. Administrator, you 
believe that we are more secure because of your agency and your 
TSOs, that the Nation is more secure?
    Mr. Pekoske. Without question, yes, ma'am.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you very much.
    I do want to say, Madam Chair, it is because of our work 
and your work and Chairman Thompson that we have passed this 
very important reform bill for TSOs and TSA with the civil 
service structure and with the professionalism. We hope that 
the Senate will move quickly to support our TSOs and this 
agency because they deserve to be recognized as front line for 
the Nation's security.
    With that, I yield back. Thank you.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you. Thank you, Representative, 
and so noted.
    With that, I want to thank the administrator for his 
valuable testimony. Very enlightening. Also to the Members for 
their very important questions.
    The Members of the subcommittee may have additional 
questions for you, and we ask that you 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. Thank you all.
    Without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned. Have 
a good day.
    [Whereupon, at 3:36 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]



                            A P P E N D I X

                              ----------                              

  Questions From Chairwoman Bonnie Watson Coleman for David P. Pekoske
    Question 1. TSA seeks funding to improve pay for Transportation 
Security Officers and other employees in the fiscal year 2023 budget 
request. Providing pay equity for TSOs is critical to ensuring TSA can 
hire and retain the workforce it needs to keep the traveling public 
safe. If this request is funded and implemented, is it TSA's intent 
that employees should remain at their new pay levels and receive 
regular pay increases beyond fiscal year 2023?
    Answer. Yes. If funding is provided, the Transportation Security 
Administration's (TSA) Pay Equity Plan would institute a ten-step, 
longevity-based progression to facilitate movement through the pay band 
for the TSA workforce that mirrors the step progression currently used 
in the General Schedule (GS). This would provide Transportation 
Security Officers (TSOs) salary growth and pay comparability to the GS. 
The lack of equitable compensation in this area, compounded by years of 
insufficient pay progression, impedes TSA's ability to meet mission 
requirements in the recruitment and retention of employees.
    Specifically, the Pay Equity Plan would implement a GS-equivalent 
structure within the pay bands in which TSOs receive regular salary 
increases of a fixed-dollar amount based on an acceptable level of 
performance: Employees who are in steps 1 through 3 would receive a 
fixed increase every year, those in steps 4 through 6 would receive a 
fixed increase every 2 years, and those in steps 7 through 9 would 
receive a fixed increase every 3 years. As with the GS, no fixed 
increases would be provided to those at step 10 under the Pay Equity 
Plan, but annual salary adjustments would still be provided based on 
Government-wide increases authorized by the President.
    Also under the Pay Equity Plan, TSOs in steps 1 through 9 would be 
eligible to receive performance-based quality increases equal to one 
step on an annual basis, similar to the Quality Step Increases of the 
GS. The Quality Step Increases will have strict controls placed on 
their use related to funding availability.
    Question 2a. This committee has heard from stakeholders that TSA's 
new human resources system has led to delays that can be months long in 
processing applications for open TSO roles.
    How long does the TSO hiring process take, on average?
    Question 2b. Does TSA lose candidates to other opportunities due to 
the length of the hiring process?
    Question 2c. What is TSA doing to streamline the TSO hiring 
process?
    Answer. On average, the TSO hiring process ranges from 90-120 days, 
though this time frame average includes time often needed by candidates 
to give ``two-week'' notice at their place of employment and to make 
arrangements for household movement or residence relocation. The time 
can also vary depending upon speed of candidate actions taken and upon 
the manual interventions of airport and TSA HQ staff to help expedite 
the process. HQ staff often prioritizes processing for select 
designated priority airports and for traditionally ``hard-to-hire'' 
airports. This is completed using such tools as ``Fast Track,'' or One-
Day, hiring events that combine several steps in the Federal hiring 
process for candidates that the event attend in-person. Other tools for 
prioritizing include using staff to execute outbound calls to 
candidates to encouragve assessment scheduling and outbound calls to 
candidates to assist with completing the Standard Form 86 electronic 
questionnaires for investigations processing.
    Unfortunately in this extremely competitive employment market, 
candidates are likely to identify alternative employment opportunities 
with private-sector employers that maintain rapid turnaround times in 
their hiring processes (i.e., non-security-related positions that do 
not require medical exams). Though candidates may find alternative 
employment simultaneous to the TSA Hiring process, the TSA process 
itself is not necessarily directly attributable to time-to-hire, it is 
possibly a contributing factor.
    TSA's Human Capital office is doing the following, among other 
things, to streamline the TSO hiring process:
   Hosting TSO Hiring Events (e.g., fast-track events) to 
        assist candidates with applying and completing multiple steps 
        in the hiring process on the same day. Currently, TSA hosts on 
        average 12 TSO hiring events per month, primarily at either 
        large or priority-designated airports.
   Expanding advertising for job opening announements (JOA) and 
        ``Fast-Track'' hiring events by exploring new means of 
        traditional and non-traditional/digital/social media sources 
        for advertising.
   Leveraging internal agency volunteers as detailee resources 
        to conduct outreach to TSO candidates to encourage/assist them 
        with taking action to move forward in the hiring process (e.g., 
        scheduling computer-based tests, completing their Standard Form 
        86 National Security Questionnaire, scheduling medical exams).
   Conducting an in-depth review of the TSO candidate 
        assessments process with regard to identifying if any of the 
        step in the process can be eliminated or further streamlined.
   Ensuring candidate records properly flow through the hiring 
        system by addressing functionality and performance issues 
        within the TSA human resources system (e.g., ensuring all 
        system links work correctly so candidate can schedule their 
        assessments without delay, ensuring all integrations with other 
        systems work correctly to reduce delays in processing).
    Question 3. What recent hiring efforts has TSA undertaken to make 
sure it retains a full cadre of Air Marshals? How is TSA prioritizing 
diversity within the ranks of these new hires?
    Answer. TSA's Law Enforcement Federal Air Marshal Service (LE/FAMS) 
is actively recruiting to meet hiring needs through fiscal year 2023. 
LE/FAMS will on-board recently-hired Federal Air Marshals for the 
remainder of calendar year 2022 and the beginning of calendar year 
2023.
    TSA has prioritized workforce diversity through a multifaceted 
recruitment effort for LE/FAMS. These efforts include:
   Promoting current and upcoming job announcements at National 
        diversity conferences.
   Recruiting at colleges and universities throughout the 
        country, emphasizing efforts on workforce ethnic, gender, and 
        racial diversity with targeted marketing including fliers, 
        electronic communications, and job fairs.
   Attending job fairs focused on veterans and sending 
        recruitment material to military installations.
    Question 4. At the requested $107.6 million per year, it would take 
TSA until fiscal year 2036 to reach full operational capacity for 
Computed Tomography (CT). Please describe the security benefits TSA 
would gain from additional CT funding allowing TSA to reach full 
operational capacity on a faster time line.
    Answer. TSA aims to rapidly procure and deploy enhanced checkpoint 
screening capabilities to bridge the gap in current accessible property 
screening technologies and the limitations in their ability to reliably 
and efficiently detect new and evolving threats to aviation. Computed 
Tomography (CT) is universally recognized as the most impactful 
capability currently available to address these threats at airport 
checkpoints. CT systems offer an enhanced imaging platform compared to 
dual view X-Ray systems presently deployed under the Advanced 
Technology (AT)-2 X-Ray program. Specifically, CT technology adds 
dimension (3-D images) and density information to images of objects 
within a carry-on item, enabling Transportation Security Officers 
(TSOs) to better identify and detect threats. In addition to enhanced 
visual interpretation by TSOs, the security benefits of CT include 
image manipulation, improved detection of homemade explosives, reduced 
false alarm rates, and reduced threat mass detection. Overall, CT is a 
vast improvement in checkpoint security effectiveness, providing 
superior detection capabilities and future planned operational 
efficiencies, to continue enhancing the passenger experience.
    With additional CT funding, TSA would be able to maximize its 
ability to procure and deploy CT systems, bringing improvements to 
security effectiveness to airport checkpoints significantly earlier. 
Additionally, accelerating this CT capability to the field would 
substantially reduce the security and capability gap that exists 
between the airports with deployed CTs and those with the legacy 
Advance Technology systems. TSA has developed a Full Operational 
Capability (FOC) acceleration plan, including resource requirements, 
that would enable TSA to procure and deploy at its maximum capacity to 
reach FOC by fiscal year 2028. The Checkpoint Property Screening System 
(CPSS) Program's FOC quantity is 2,263 systems. Including planned 
fiscal year 2022 procurements, CPSS will have procured 780 CT systems 
(34 percent of FOC), leaving 1,483 remaining systems.
    Question 5. What strategies has TSA implemented to increase 
throughput and minimize wait times for passengers as more CT machines 
are deployed?
    Answer. TSA Headquarters is working closely with local TSA 
personnel at airports to increase throughput and reduce passenger wait 
times as more CT machines are deployed. First, local TSA personnel 
provide training specifically created to identify key focus areas for 
increased throughput when utilizing the checkpoint CT equipment and 
training. Second, TSA Headquarters consolidates and shares the target 
goals for key metrics and lessons learned from other airports with 
local TSA personnel, which enables increased throughput and decreases 
wait times. Finally, when local TSA personnel need specific assistance, 
a lean-six-sigma approach is employed to target the specific needs of 
that site to increase familiarization and efficiency when using the 
checkpoint CT. The initial results of this approach, which evaluates 
the airport specific operation and then looks to implement targeted 
improvements, has increased the operational efficiency of the 
checkpoints considered.
    Question 6. Please describe TSA's obligation to ensure screening 
processes do not disproportionately affect certain classes of 
passengers, such as by requiring transgender passengers to undergo pat-
downs more frequently than the general population.
    Answer. TSA policy ensures screening of persons and property in 
compliance with all laws and regulations, to include anti-
discrimination and anti-harassment laws.
    TSA identified an opportunity to enhance our existing Advanced 
Imaging Technology (AIT) security effectiveness capabilities and 
simultaneously implement a gender-neutral algorithm. In coordination 
with the system manufacturer, TSA is in the process of testing this new 
algorithm. This change will benefit all travelers, including 
transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-nonconforming travelers who 
previously have been required to undergo additional screening due to 
alarms in sensitive areas. Upon completion of successful testing, TSA 
anticipates initiating deployment of the technology enhancement to 
airports later this year.
    In May 2022, TSA also updated its screening procedures to better 
serve transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming travelers 
through less-invasive screening procedures for passengers who trigger 
the AIT scanner in a sensitive area. This change, which reduces the 
number of pat-downs for TSOs and the entire traveling public without 
compromising security, will be in effect until the gender-neutral AIT 
screening technology is deployed.
    To coincide with the SOP update, TSA Training and Development 
released scenarios and briefings to ensure all checkpoint-certified 
officers are equipped with the knowledge to effectively engage with 
transgender/gender-diverse individuals during AIT screening. 
Additionally, TSA released a Gender Diversity Awareness Overview 
Briefing which defined gender diversity, identified terminology, and 
outlined best practices. The scenarios and briefings are recorded in 
the TSA Learning Management System to ensure officer completion.
    Question 7a. Since 2006, the Transportation Security Grant Program 
(TSGP) has provided eligible public transportation systems with funding 
to protect critical transportation infrastructure and the traveling 
public from terrorism, while increasing transportation infrastructure 
resilience. However, since 2012, funding has remained flat at 
approximately $88 million. This is a significant decrease from previous 
levels of up to approximately $350 million annually in preceding years.
    How would increased TSGP funding be used to improve surface 
transportation security?
    Question 7b. What, if any, critical technology would benefit from 
additional TSGP funding and how would the funding improve its 
capabilities?
    Answer. Increased funding could be leveraged to improve surface 
transportation security by allowing larger capital infrastructure 
security projects and cybersecurity projects to be funded. 
Historically, we have seen that the larger capital infrastructure 
projects can each take tens of millions of dollars to complete, which 
would equate to the majority of funding currently available through the 
Transportation Security Grant Program (TSGP) going to only one or two 
projects. In addition, specialized transit security operational teams 
could receive funding for more than 1 year of service at a time. Using 
fiscal year 2021 unfunded project requests as an example, increased 
TSGP funding could have resulted in funding for additional projects in 
perimeter hardening, specialized operational teams, and cybersecurity.
    Critical technologies that would benefit from increased TSGP 
funding include, for example, intrusion detection for tunnels and 
security-restricted areas, structural hardening technologies, access 
controls, and cybersecurity. Greater funding to capital and 
cybersecurity projects could allow the Nation's transit systems to 
address these capability gaps in a more complete and timely manner, 
while also allowing them to continue receiving funding for other 
operational and security needs.
    Question 8a. Members of this subcommittee were surprised to learn 
that, from mid-December 2021 to mid-March of this year, TSA undertook 
an initiative to accept and analyze Amtrak passenger data to ascertain 
whether known or suspected terrorists are riding along the Northeast 
corridor. The data shared by Amtrak included personally identifiable 
information such as passengers' names; dates of birth; billing 
addresses; phone numbers; email addresses; and ticket origins and 
destinations.
    What legal authority did TSA rely on to conduct this assessment?
    Question 8b. The clear intent of language in section 1974 of the 
TSA Modernization Act is that TSA must notify Congress prior to vetting 
rail passengers. While we understand that TSA released a Privacy Impact 
Assessment on this initiative, Congress was not alerted to the 
undertaking. Should TSA plan to conduct another, similar initiative, 
will TSA commit to engaging Congress early on in the process?
    Question 8c. Did TSA engage with civil rights and civil liberties 
groups prior to or during the collection of passenger data? Will TSA 
commit to doing so in the future?
    Question 8d. I understand that the results of the assessment are 
Sensitive Security Information (SSI), but to the extent possible, 
please briefly expand on the level of utility of the findings given 
that there is no process in place to verify the identities of 
passengers riding Amtrak.
    Answer. As it relates to this Amtrak assessment, TSA relied on its 
broad authorities under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to 
``assess threats to transportation'' and to ``carry out such other 
duties, and exercise such other powers, relating to transportation 
security as the administrator considers appropriate.'' 49 U.S.C.  
114(f)(2) and (16). Additionally, TSA relied on 49 U.S.C.  114(f)(l) 
(authorizing the administrator to ``receive, assess, and distribute 
intelligence information related to transportation security''); 
114(f)(3) (authorizing the administrator to ``develop policies, 
strategies, and plans for dealing with transportation security''); 
114(f)(4) (authorizing the administrator to ``make other plans related 
to transportation security''); 114(f)(8) (authorizing the administrator 
to ``identify and undertake research and development activities 
necessary to enhance transportation security''); and 6 U.S.C.  1114(a) 
(authorizing the Secretary to ``establish a program to provide 
appropriate information that the Department has gathered or developed 
on the performance, use, and testing of technologies that may be used 
to enhance railroad, public transportation, and surface transportation 
security'') in order to receive data from Amtrak, perform post-trip 
analysis, and to deliver anonymized, aggregate results to Amtrak.
    All of the requirements associated with TSA Modernization Act  
1974, including the mandate to provide Congressional notification, are 
premised upon the submission of a request by Amtrak's Board of 
Directors to TSA to use ``Secure Flight Program or a similar passenger 
vetting system to enhance passenger rail security.'' TSA Modernization 
Act  1974(a). In this instance, Amtrak's Board did not submit such a 
request to TSA for consideration. Nor did the Amtrak assessment involve 
the vetting of any Amtrak travelers before they traveled. Instead, 
Amtrak and TSA undertook this assessment as a preliminary step to 
gather and review historical passenger data that would inform risk-
based future decisions by both Amtrak and TSA about costs and benefits 
of possible future actions. In the future, in addition to releasing 
Privacy Impact Assessments for initiatives such as this, TSA intends to 
engage Congress early on in the process.
    TSA's Privacy Office engaged with a privacy advocacy group 
regarding the Amtrak assessment on several occasions prior to the 
assessment. The TSA Privacy Office regularly engages with privacy 
groups on TSA matters.
    During the 90-day Post Travel Assessment, TSA identified 
individuals that were a potential match to a known or suspected 
terrorist (KST) Watchlist record, including individuals who made 
multiple trips. TSA and Amtrak continue to analyze and discuss the 
information to determine the value of the data-vetting results.
    Question 9a. The horrific shooting on the New York subway system in 
Brooklyn in April 2022 drew significant scrutiny about the security of 
busy public transit systems.
    What sort of engagement does TSA conduct with operators like the 
Metropolitan Transportation Authority to help them secure their 
systems?
    Question 9b. What are the lessons learned for TSA in light of the 
shooting? Is there a need for more VIPR teams, Transit Security Grant 
Program funding, or other Federally-supported surface transportation 
security initiatives?
    Answer. Public transportation owners and operators are primarily 
responsible for the safety and security of their infrastructure, 
systems, and passengers. To best support owners and operators with 
their security needs, TSA focuses its efforts on periodic system 
assessments of an operator's voluntary implementation of industry/
Government best practices, accurate and timely exchange of intelligence 
and information, and facilitating security drills and exercises. 
Operationally, TSA also provides trained explosives detection canines 
to Mass Transit and Passenger Rail systems, supports random baggage 
screening, and delivers active-shooter training as well as First 
Observer Plus training to front-line workers to observe, assess, and 
report suspicious activity.
    Additionally, TSA regulations require owner/operators of higher-
risk public transportation agencies, such as the Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority (MTA), to provide TSA-approved security 
training to employees performing security-sensitive functions. The 
training curriculum must teach these employees how to observe, assess, 
and respond to terrorist-related threats and/or security incidents. For 
example, the security training must teach employees to identify 
suspicious or dangerous items such as improvised explosive devices; 
appropriately report a security threat; and how to interact with the 
public and first responders at the scene of a security threat or 
incident. TSA has a three-step process for reviewing and approving an 
owner/operator's security training program. Following program 
submission by the owner/operator, TSA: (1) Assesses whether a submitted 
program includes key administrative information; (2) assesses whether 
the curriculum includes all the required security training topics; and 
(3) formally approves the security training program. Following the 
approval, TSA sends a letter to the applicable owner/operator notifying 
them of TSA's approval of their training program. The owner/operator 
must then provide initial training to security-sensitive employees 
within 1 year of the date of program approval.
    TSA also engages and partners with representative and higher-threat 
venues, like the MTA, through formal Memorandums of Agreement to 
establish TSA-sponsored surface technology test beds. These TSA test 
beds:
   Provide a critical capability for evaluating the operational 
        performance and suitability of candidate technologies in 
        surface transportation environments.
   Offer system partners extended access to, and use of, 
        promising technologies prior to making procurement decisions.
   Afford transportation systems and venues the opportunity to 
        provide direct feedback to TSA and to technology vendors so 
        that product configurations and Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) 
        are optimized for use in surface transportation environments.
   Collaborate closely with international partners to identify 
        solutions to capability gaps by providing synchronized vendor 
        feedback and coordinating stakeholder engagement.
    Further, TSA's Field Intelligence Officers (FIOs) in New York and 
New Jersey conduct regular intelligence liaison exchanges with the MTA, 
which includes providing both Classified and un-Classified 
transportation threat intelligence briefings to its members and senior 
leadership and conduct outreach with the MTA Police Department during 
weekly intelligence exchange meetings. Additionally, FIOs collaborate 
with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) 
Protective Security Advisors from the NY/NJ area and their regional 
director on a recurring basis to include the physical security and 
vulnerability assessments of critical infrastructure, such as mass 
transit. TSA's LE/FAMS New York Field Office hosts the Quarterly New 
York/New Jersey Transportation Security Executives Meetings which 
includes MTA senior leaders. TSA also has representatives, including 
its regional security director (RSD) and surface inspectors, on the New 
York/New Jersey Regional Transit Security Working Group in which MTA 
and other area transit agencies participate. The TSA LE/FAMS maintains 
a regular dialog with MTA and other transportation stakeholders in the 
New York City metro area.
    In this specific instance, TSA supported local law enforcement, who 
led the response to this shooting incident. Shortly after the shooting, 
the NY MTA director of emerging security solutions reached out to TSA's 
RSD to research technology suitable for the screening of weapons in a 
subway environment. The RSD connected NY MTA to TSA's Public Area 
Security and Infrastructure Protection and Requirements and 
Capabilities Analysis Branches.
    TSA provides and offers a number of security support services to 
the Nation's mass transit agencies, including Visible Intermodal 
Prevention and Response teams and funding. While the security of the 
NYC subway system remains the responsibility of MTA, TSA can aid with 
implementing additional security measures should the MTA ask for 
assistance. Entities such as MTA have historically looked to the TSGP 
for funds to procure security technology.
    Question 10a. In May 2021, the ransomware attack on Colonial 
Pipeline served as an important wake-up call for pipeline owners and 
operators and helped to catalyze Federal efforts around pipeline 
cybersecurity. In the months following the attack, TSA released a 
number of cybersecurity directives for the pipeline, rail, and aviation 
sectors to fortify their defenses against similar attacks.
    A year after the Colonial Pipeline attack, what is the status of 
TSA's cybersecurity efforts writ large?
    Question 10b. Does TSA have the resources it needs to carry out all 
the cybersecurity directives it has released for the different 
transportation modes? If not, how can Congress support TSA?
    Answer. TSA continues to take steps to enhance cybersecurity in the 
transportation sector. These include Security Directives (SD) for 
pipelines and surface transportation, Security Program Amendments in 
aviation, and Information Circulars (ICs) for owners and operators in 
aviation, pipeline, rail, and over-the-road-bus transportation sectors 
not covered by the SDs and Security Program changes. By the end of June 
2022, TSA also issued security program requirements to large regulated 
airports and airline stakeholders to conduct cybersecurity self-
assessments, as well as to develop remediation and incident response 
plans. TSA will issue an IC recommending the same measures to smaller 
airport and airline stakeholders. Furthermore, TSA plans to distribute 
an IC in July 2022 for all regulated airport and airline stakeholders 
recommending additional cybersecurity measures to ensure systems are 
protected. TSA is using lessons learned in the past year to update 
cybersecurity requirements and guidance; for example, TSA has already 
updated the pipeline SDs with improvements.
    In the past year, TSA has reviewed and enhanced its internal 
cybersecurity efforts, such as cybersecurity training for TSA's surface 
workforce, policy development, assessments, and inspections. TSA has 
also established a Cyber Governance Senior Steering Group. The purpose 
of this group is to facilitate discussion, strategic direction, and 
conduct research and review of policy recommendations, requirements, 
and regulatory regimes needed to address cybersecurity risks across the 
Transportation Systems Sector and TSA Enterprise.
    To support cybersecurity hiring efforts, TSA established the 
Cybersecurity Community of Practice (Cyber CoP) to streamline and 
inform hiring, staffing, training, and retention practices to elevate 
the cyber community to innovate and lead the agency with cyber 
infrastructure and maintaining threat awareness. As a result of this 
group, the direct hire policy is being updated to include 
Transportation Security Inspector (TSI Cyber) SV-1801-G/H, SV-1801-H/I, 
and SV-1801-I/J, and Supervisory TSI (Cyber) (STSI (Cyber)), SV-1801-J; 
these positions carry out our missions for protecting our Nation's 
pipelines. The Cyber CoP is also responsible for drafting the agency's 
first Cybersecurity Retention Incentive Plan to retain top talent; upon 
implementation, budget and pay structure limitations will be the next 
hurdle to overcome.
    TSA, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration and 
the U.S. Department of Defense through the Aviation Cyber Initiative 
(ACI), continues to provide outreach to the aviation sector to include 
specific training initiatives directed at airports. ACI has undertaken 
several initiatives in fiscal year 2022, including:
   Conducting Interagency Aviation Cybersecurity Training for 
        aviation cybersecurity personnel related to ``foundational'' 
        cybersecurity, Wi-Fi hygiene, and workforce development.
   Conducting analysis on airport cybersecurity team structure 
        to provide a basis for operational and procedural decisions. 
        Findings will assist the aviation sector to better identify 
        trends and gaps.
   Developing an integrated Positioning, Navigation, and Timing 
        detect-and-response CONOPS for airports and spaceports to 
        determine actions required in the event of an outage/
        interruption.
    TSA continues to conduct inspections with the pipeline industry to 
evaluate compliance with the SDs. TSA has also hosted a technical 
roundtable series with industry partners to listen to questions and 
concerns on the SDs and broader cybersecurity matters. Additionally, 
TSA has offered multiple resources for stakeholders such as the 5N5 
Cybersecurity Workshop and informational literature (i.e., 
Cybersecurity Resource Toolkit, Cybersecurity ``Pocket'' Awareness 
Guide, and ``No-Cost'' Cybersecurity Resource for Surface 
Transportation System handout). This awareness training provides 
resources regarding basic cyber hygiene and offers at least 5 non-
technical actions to consider implementing in 5 days to enhance a 
company or agency's risk-management process and overall resiliency. 
While TSA plans to offer between 4 and 6 cybersecurity workshops each 
year, TSA has conducted 7 cybersecurity workshops since January 2022.
    To support information-sharing efforts, TSA has also facilitated 
Classified intelligence briefings for owners and operators across 
aviation and surface transportation sectors. TSA will continue to 
coordinate with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 
and other intergovernmental partners to share cybersecurity threat 
intelligence and provide direction to mitigate threats and potential 
vulnerabilities to transportation stakeholders.
    TSA anticipates cyber risks to evolve and cybersecurity threats to 
the transportation systems sector to increase over the next 10 years 
and TSA will likely need Congressional funding and support to increase 
staff and fund programs to mitigate risks to transportation operators. 
Such needs may include hiring additional employees and contractors to 
support cybersecurity directives and security program amendments, 
conduct inspections and risk assessments, provide facilitated 
exercises, trainings, threat intelligence, and legal support, and 
acquire the technology and tools needed to improve the quality of 
inspections and automate the process to meet this dynamic threat.
    Question 11a. The President's fiscal year 2023 budget request 
proposes to eliminate TSA's staffing of exit lanes. This change would 
place burdens on airport operators with limited budgets and could 
result in degradations to security.
    How many airports would be affected by this change?
    Question 11b. What feedback has TSA received from airport 
stakeholders on how this would impact them?
    Answer. This change would impact 109 airports where TSA currently 
monitors exit lanes co-located with security checkpoints. The limited 
feedback TSA has received regarding the proposed change conveys 
concerns related to budgetary and staffing impacts on airport 
stakeholders.
    Question 12a. Subcommittee Members have heard concerns that TSA's 
new competitive model for TSA PreCheck enrollments will place financial 
burdens on the contractor providing enrollments for the Transportation 
Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and Hazardous Materials 
Endorsement (HME) programs, including possibly leading to the closure 
of some enrollment centers. How does TSA plan to ensure the long-term 
health of the TWIC and HME programs?
    Answer. TSA understands that the addition of new TSA PreCheck 
enrollment providers, as required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
2018 (Pub. L. 115-254), may impact the Universal Enrollment Services 
(UES) contract operated by IDEMIA. IDEMIA provides enrollment services 
for TSA PreCheck, the Transportation Worker Identification Credential 
(TWIC), and Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) programs.
    TSA was mandated by the FAA Reauthorization Act to increase 
enrollment in the TSA PreCheck Application Program and enter into other 
transaction agreements (OTAs) with at least two additional enrollment 
providers to offer TSA PreCheck enrollment services. TSA has entered 
into OTAs with two new enrollment providers, but they are not yet 
operational.
    Until the TSA PreCheck OTA enrollment providers are fully 
operational, TSA cannot determine what (if any) impact might occur to 
UES enrollment volumes, or any magnitude of possible impact. However, 
the UES contract provides flexibility with enrollment center hours/days 
of operation to help balance costs with demand. Additionally, the UES 
enrollment provider may choose to reduce the number of non-
contractually required enrollment centers if warranted due to a 
decrease in demand for services. The UES enrollment provider is 
contractually required to maintain over 300 UES enrollment centers 
Nation-wide to support populations such as TWIC and HME.
    Question 12b. What metrics will TSA use to track the health of the 
TWIC and HME programs?
    Answer. TSA continuously monitors the health of the TWIC and HME 
programs via contractually-required UES performance metrics. TSA 
reviews the IDEMIA-reported average wait times for applicants at both 
the individual enrollment center and National levels. TSA also monitors 
the percentage of time an enrollment center is open based on actual 
hours open versus scheduled hours. Finally, TSA reviews call center 
performance metrics, including but not limited to, speed to answer, 
response time, duration time, etc., to ensure that IDEMIA is performing 
contract-specified acceptable quality levels, and TWIC and HME 
applicants remain supported with quality enrollment services.
    Question 12c. What steps is TSA taking to ensure the continued 
operation of enrollment centers in rural areas?
    Answer. Specifically, as it relates to TSA PreCheck expansion of 
OTA providers, TSA will require the OTA providers to demonstrate how 
any proposed enrollment locations near mandatory UES locations will 
grow or expand TSA PreCheck enrollments. This review would occur during 
the site survey evaluation process that is required for all potential 
enrollment locations. TSA will also scrutinize any locations that are 
proposed to open near mandatory UES locations that have program-
specific requirements (e.g., there are numerous enrollment locations 
that are required to be within a certain mileage from a port to support 
the TWIC population). These measures support UES enrollment centers 
that service TWIC and HME in rural areas.
    Question 12d. What changes will you make to assist the current 
Universal Enrollment Services (UES) provider, should it become clear 
that the new PreCheck model endangers its ability to continue 
fulfilling the UES contract as it relates to TWIC and HME enrollments?
    Answer. TSA has already implemented changes to the UES contract by 
removing certain required airport locations that can be more expensive 
for the UES enrollment provider. Other mandatory UES locations remain 
required by TSA to ensure the continued accomplishment of its National 
security mission. TSA remains committed to ensuring enrollment services 
are available to the public Nation-wide, with a focus on easing cost 
and travel burdens for the applicant burden. In order to achieve this 
goal, TSA requires a Nation-wide network of UES enrollment locations 
but provides flexibility via the UES contract in terms of days and 
hours of operation. This enables the UES enrollment provider to balance 
operating costs and demand.
    Question 12d. Will TSA need additional authority or a change in law 
to make those changes?
    Answer. TSA does not require any changes in law at this time. TSA 
will exercise its existing authorities to implement any needed changes 
to ensure the execution of the UES contract.
  Questions From Ranking Member Carlos A. Gimenez for David P. Pekoske
    Question 1. I've heard anecdotal reports that when checkpoint lines 
are long, non-PreCheck and non-Global Entry travelers are being moved 
into lanes with only walk-through metal detectors. These travelers are 
not low-risk and we need to ensure they are being adequately screened. 
Administrator Pekoske, can you commit that non-low risk passengers at 
the Nation's airports are being screened using Advanced Imaging 
Technology and not by walk-through metal detectors?
    Answer. TSA is committed to properly screening all PreCheck and 
standard passengers at our Nation's airports. The current AIT 
deployment methodology is 100 percent AIT coverage in standard 
screening lanes. Standard screening lanes with AIT are directed to be 
the first to open and last to close. TSA has a goal to meet 95 percent 
of the operational capacity of the AIT (185 Passenger Per Hour). 
Federal Security Directors are authorized to use co-located walk-
through metal detector (WTMD) to process standard passengers when the 
AIT becomes the bottleneck of the checkpoint. The overflow of standard 
passengers through the WTMD must be conducted in a random and 
unpredictable manner so an adversary cannot game the system and the 
accessible property and shoes of those individuals are still screened 
through the standard lane as non-PreCheck passengers.
    Although TSA aims to screen all standard passengers with the AIT 
units, due to airport space constraints, some standard lanes cannot 
accommodate an AIT unit. This is most common in our Nation's smaller 
airports where a WTMD must be used. TSA has implemented countermeasures 
for this configuration by initiating On-Person Unpredictable Screening 
Procedures.
    TSA has the goal to achieve 100 percent AIT screening of all 
standard passengers and is prioritizing both short-term and long-term 
solutions to help achieve this. One solution is the recently-developed 
Low Probability of False Alarm (Low Pfa) Algorithm. This algorithm will 
play a critical role to increase AIT utilization rates by increasing 
the probability of detection while reducing false alarm rates by 50 
percent. The reduction in false alarms will reduce the need for the TSO 
to conduct a pat-down minimizing the time the passengers spend at the 
AIT, which will increase throughput and overall use of the AIT. If 
follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E) of the Low Pfa 
Algorithm is successful the algorithm will be deployed to the current 
AIT fleet beginning in fiscal year 2023. TSA will also be exploring 
potential WTMD replacement solutions that increases capability beyond 
metal detection to screening passengers for both metallic and non-
metallic threats. This solution is being pursued under the Next-
Generation On-Person Screening Program which aims to provide higher 
detection and efficiency in the screening of passengers.
    Question 2. I'm concerned that TSA appears to be replacing aging 
checked-baggage Explosive Detection Systems (EDS) with the same legacy 
EDS systems that do not meet current detection standards. TSA appears 
to be delaying EDS modernization development efforts, despite the 
availability of new systems that can meet the expected upcoming 
detection standards.
    What are TSA's plans for recapitalizing checked-baggage EDS systems 
in U.S. airports and what efforts have been made to utilize the 
authority that Congress provided under sections 1914 and 1925 of the 
TSA Modernization Act of 2018?
    Answer. TSA is in the process of replacing legacy Explosive 
Detection Systems (EDS) with the current generation of EDS from the 
Qualified Products List. These EDS were designed to meet EDS 
Competitive Procurement requirements, first solicited in 2011. These 
machines provide better detection, imagery, and tool manipulation 
capabilities and can meet the latest detection standards TSA released. 
Three hundred fourteen airports currently have EDS capable of reaching 
the current detection standards. The typical lifecycle for an EDS is 15 
years; however, it is the technology's ability to meet detection 
standards and remain maintainable that dictates the actual life span of 
particular models of EDS. EDS that are not maintainable or unable to 
reach current detection requirements are deemed technically obsolete by 
TSA and the TSA begins to work with airports to schedule removal and 
replacement of these EDS. The recapitalization of units that cannot 
reach current detection standards is planned to be complete by fiscal 
year 2026. The schedule for removal of the CTX 9000 and CTX 9400 is 
shown below:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             9000/9400
               Fiscal Year                   9000/9400     Remaining In
                                          Decommissioned       Field
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2022....................................              32             207
2023....................................              50             157
2024....................................              65              92
2025....................................              48              44
2026....................................              44               0
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The dates for the removals are subject to change as airports work 
through both design and construction. Schedules are primarily driven by 
the airport authority that is managing the project.
    Besides the CTX 9000 and CTX 9400, there are also older stand-alone 
CTX 5500's still remaining at two airports. These systems are planned 
for removal and replacement by the end of the second quarter of fiscal 
year 2023. One integrated 5500 is still deployed and will complete its 
recapitalization this fiscal year.
    TSA is also seeking to establish a new Electronic Baggage Screening 
Program, which will be used to qualify and procure next generation 
screening equipment for the next 15-20 years. This new program will 
encompass enhanced requirements to improve the technology provided to 
the field. TSA is committed to enhancing and updating our 
transportation security equipment and appreciates Congress' support to 
date.

                                 [all]