[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H7907-H7908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RISK-BASED SECURITY SCREENING FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ACT
Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1801) to amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for
expedited security screenings for members of the Armed Forces, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1801
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Risk-Based Security
Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act''.
SEC. 2. SECURITY SCREENING FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) In General.--Section 44903 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(m) Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces.--
``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall develop
and implement a plan to provide expedited security screening
services for a member of the Armed Forces, and any
accompanying family member, when the member of the Armed
Forces presents documentation indicating official orders
while in uniform through a primary airport (as defined by
section 47102 of this title).
``(2) Protocols.--In developing the plan, the Assistant
Secretary shall consider--
``(A) leveraging existing security screening models used by
airports and air carriers to reduce passenger wait times
before entering a security screening checkpoint;
``(B) establishing standard guidelines for the screening of
military uniform items, including combat boots; and
``(C) incorporating any new screening protocols into an
existing trusted passenger program, as established pursuant
to section 109(a)(3) of the Aviation and Transportation
Security Act (Public Law 107-71; 115 Stat. 613; 49 U.S.C. 114
note), or into the development of any new credential or
system that incorporates biometric technology and other
applicable technologies to verify the identity of individuals
traveling in air transportation.
``(3) Report to congress.--The Assistant Secretary shall
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on
the implementation of the plan.''.
(b) Effective Date.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall
implement the plan required by this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Richardson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
General Leave
Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The bill under consideration today, H.R. 1801, the Risk-Based
Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act, is a bipartisan
effort which directs TSA to establish an expedited screening process
for members of the Armed Forces and their families when they are
traveling on orders throughout our Nation's airports. Currently,
military servicemembers traveling on orders must remove their Class A
uniform blouse jackets, metal belt buckles and insignia devices before
proceeding through security checkpoints.
While it is important every passenger undergo a security screening
before boarding a plane, it makes absolutely no sense to require
American servicemembers to take off their jackets and medals for TSA
screening before boarding their flights home. Unless intelligence
identifies a specific threat, we should honor our servicemembers'
willingness to sacrifice themselves for our country by treating them as
patriots, not operating under the assumption that everyone intends to
harm our country's transportation system.
Importantly, this commonsense bill will streamline the screening
process for our servicemembers and lead to decreased checkpoint wait
times for other American travelers. Moreover, this legislation will
complement TSA Administrator Pistole's move toward a risk-based
checkpoint screening system for passengers and will prioritize members
of the Armed Forces for inclusion into that process.
I am pleased to report that since H.R. 1801 was passed unanimously
with bipartisan support in committee, TSA has now begun testing a
military ID reading pilot program for U.S. armed servicemembers at
Monterey Peninsula Airport in California. While this bill will not let
a member of the Armed Forces bypass security, it will require TSA to
develop an expedited screening process designed to reduce our
servicemember's checkpoint waiting times and focus more resources on
unknown and high-risk passengers.
To be clear, this program does not impact the TSA's existing layered
aviation security approach that includes Federal air marshals--the last
line of defense--Federal flight deck officers, secure flight vetting,
AIT machines, TSA intelligence analysts, explosive trace detection,
canine teams, credentialing and boarding pass scanning systems, and
behavior detection. It is merely part of the highly integrated risk-
based analysis system that allows further concentration of limited
resources on potentially higher risk passengers.
In closing, I'd like to thank Transportation Security Committee
Chairman Mike Rogers and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter
King for moving this legislation, and all of my colleagues in
committee, particularly Ranking Member Bennie Thompson and Subcommittee
Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee, for their support.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1801, and
yield myself such time as I may consume.
First of all, I'd like to acknowledge the work of Chairman King and
Ranking Member Thompson.
As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I'm pleased that,
for the first time in this 112th Congress, the House is considering
important transportation security legislation. H.R. 1801, the Risk-
Based Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act, requires
the Transportation Security Administration to
[[Page H7908]]
develop a plan for providing expedited screening for our military
personnel at airport security checkpoints.
Since 2001, there have been more than 2 million troops that have been
deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Last Congress an earlier version of
this legislation was accepted as an amendment on a bipartisan basis, as
my colleague mentioned earlier, during consideration of the
Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act, which passed
this House by 397 votes in the ``aye'' and 25 in the ``nay,'' but it
was not acted upon by the Senate, unfortunately.
{time} 1640
H.R. 1801 properly recognizes the preciousness of time to our
patriotic men and women serving in our armed services without
compromising aviation security. This legislation will ensure that our
troops and their families, including 236,963 defense personnel in my
own home State in California, are given the opportunity to board an
aircraft in a security-approved, expedited manner.
Our troops help keep our country safe. The least we can do is devise
methods that help speed up the screening process for our troops that
are in uniform and are traveling on airplanes while on official duty.
As our military presence in Iraq winds down, it is important that we
remain cognizant of the burdens that deployments and travel have on
servicemembers and their families in times of war and peace.
In addition to travel services, I support and urge this Congress, the
administration, and the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen
all military services and programs for our troops, including increasing
veteran recruitment efforts.
Some of the additional military support that this Congress should
consider would be, one, providing tax credits for hiring veterans
looking for work; two, strengthening much-needed training programs for
separating servicemembers; three, encouraging businesses and government
contractors to hire the brave men and women who have been deployed and
have now returned with developed valuable skills and professionalism
while in the Armed Forces; four, ensuring that the servicemembers leave
the military career-ready.
H.R. 1801 is one of many opportunities for the American public and
this Congress to demonstrate their support to those who are serving
bravely. Further, it is important to note that consideration of H.R.
1801 marks the first time in this Congress that the House is
considering a bill reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. I
and other members of this committee look forward to this legislation
not being our last.
A number of commonsense homeland security bills are on the U.S. House
of Representatives calendar and warrant timely consideration.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Farenthold).
Mr. FARENTHOLD. I rise also in support of H.R. 1801.
As we come off a holiday weekend, the busiest travel time in this
country, many Americans have gone through the screening at our numerous
airports. The TSA works hard screening everybody and keeping our
flights safe, but we must always be looking for ways to make that
system more efficient and safer. Members of our military whom we know
have served and put their lives on the line for this country should be
among those who are first in a program where we trust our travelers.
We must continue to look for efficiencies to speed air travel. We
must continue to look for fewer invasive ways to screen passengers. We
must look for ways to make traveling a more pleasant experience and a
more profitable experience for the businessmen and -women who travel.
I urge support of this bill, which is where we should start--with
members of our armed services; but there are other places we need to
look, too--to trusted-traveler programs and flight crews receiving
expedited screening. The TSA must continue to work to improve this
process to make it safer and more efficient. This bill gives the TSA
the encouragement that they need, and is a great step along the way to
more efficient, private and better screening for our airport security.
Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. If the
gentleman from Minnesota has no more speakers, I am prepared to close.
Mr. CRAVAACK. I am prepared to close after the gentlewoman from
California closes.
Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H.R. 1801 is needed. It's common sense, and it's a piece of
legislation with a history of bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues
to support this measure and our troops.
Their time is limited, and it certainly shouldn't be wasted in long
lines at the airport. Airports all around the country have multiple
checkpoints that expedite the security screening process, and our
service personnel have earned this privilege as well.
Likewise, I urge the Republican leadership to put on the House floor
additional Homeland Security bills and bills aimed at easing our
veterans' transition from military service to civilian careers. It's
late November in the first session of this 112th Congress. It's coming
to an end, the public is hurting, and Congress must act.
With that, Mr. Speaker, on H.R. 1801 I urge my colleagues to
unanimously support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from
California for her support on this very important bill and the shared
importance, value, and trust we place in our military servicemembers.
I urge support of H.R. 1801, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as the Ranking Member of the
Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Transportation
Security, I am pleased that, for the first time this Congress, the
House is considering important transportation security legislation.
In this budgetary climate, we must ensure that the Transportation
Security Administration is maximizing its resources and adequately
integrating efficient screening processes across its checkpoint
security programs.
This legislation strives to do that by ensuring that an expedited
screening program is established for members of the Armed Forces.
These are the men and women who sacrifice their time and family life
to defend our liberty.
Affording them the opportunity to be respectfully screened in an
expedited manner will ensure that we continue to honor their service
and what their commitment means to the American public.
H.R. 1801 represents common-sense legislation with bipartisan
support.
I am happy that I was able to work with Mr. Rogers and others members
of the Subcommittee and Full Committee on Homeland Security on this
bill.
I look forward to continuing our work on the Committee on Homeland
Security and producing additional bipartisan measures that strive to
enhance our nation's transportation security efforts.
I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1801, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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