[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 22, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H6609-H6612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONOR FLIGHT ACT
Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4812) to amend title 49, United States Code, to require the
Administrator of the Transportation Security
[[Page H6610]]
Administration to establish a process for providing expedited and
dignified passenger screening services for veterans traveling to visit
war memorials built and dedicated to honor their service, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4812
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 ``Honor Flight Act''.
SEC. 2. HONOR FLIGHT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title 49, United States Code, is amended
by adding after section 44927 the following new section:
``Sec. 44928. Honor Flight program
``The Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration shall establish, in collaboration with the
Honor Flight Network or other not-for-profit organization
that honors veterans, a process for providing expedited and
dignified passenger screening services for veterans traveling
on an Honor Flight Network private charter, or such other
not-for-profit organization that honors veterans, to visit
war memorials built and dedicated to honor the service of
such veterans.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 44927 the following new item:
``44928. Honor Flight program.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Hudson) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr.
Richmond) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.
General Leave
Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
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 North Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4812, the Honor Flight
Act. This bill would improve the airport screening processes for
veterans traveling to visit our war memorials by providing expedited
and dignified passenger screening services.
I am pleased TSA is currently implementing the requirements outlined
in this bill by working with the Honor Flight Network to expedite the
screening process for veterans visiting war memorials here in
Washington, D.C. Codifying this commonsense policy will ease airport
access for our Nation's heroes, who have made incredible sacrifices and
deserve our utmost respect.
Not only will this legislation help to simplify their passage through
airports, it will also improve efficiency by freeing up TSA screeners
to focus on real threats. This is a positive step for our veterans and
ultimately our transportation and national security.
I would like to commend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond)
for his work on this issue, as well as Chairman McCaul for moving this
bill through the committee.
The Committee on Homeland Security has long advocated for less
burdensome airport screening for our men and women in uniform and our
veterans. In fact, this bill builds upon previous bipartisan
legislation promoted by the committee and signed into law requiring TSA
to provide expedited screening to Active Duty military traveling on
official orders, as well as severely injured or disabled veterans and
members of the Armed Forces.
Each and every day, we are humbled and inspired by the incredible
sacrifices of all our veterans. This should serve as a powerful
reminder of our duty to do all we can to honor the sacrifices they have
made for our freedoms and treat them with the dignity and respect they
deserve.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
and rise in strong support of H.R. 4812, the Honor Flight Act.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking Chairman McCaul,
Ranking Member Thompson, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on
Transportation Security, Mr. Hudson, for cosponsoring and supporting
this bipartisan legislation.
The Honor Flight Act is a measure that seeks to pay a debt of
gratitude to a group of Americans who were willing to make the ultimate
sacrifice to ensure that we are able to enjoy the freedoms that we have
today. Although we may never be able to fully repay our veterans for
their bravery, sites such as the National World War II Museum, which we
are proud to have in the city of New Orleans, bring into focus their
lasting contribution and their impact on American history.
The Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization that works with
airlines and other nonprofits to transport veterans to Washington,
D.C., to visit memorials dedicated to honoring their service and
sacrifice. The organization was created in 2005 by Earl Morse, a former
physician's assistant with the Department of Veterans Affairs and a
private pilot who saw his patients' desire to visit the newly built
World War II Memorial and recognized that many of them lacked the
resources or support to make the trip on their own.
By the end of 2013, the Honor Flight Network had transported
approximately 117,000 of our Nation's heroes to visit their memorials.
Estimates from the Honor Flight Network show that number to be well
over 120,000 people today. The Honor Flight Network currently
prioritizes transporting World War II veterans and veterans who are
terminally ill but intends to expand the program to transport veterans
of subsequent wars in the future.
Presently, the Transportation Security Administration, under the
leadership of Administrator Pistole, expedites the screening process
for veterans visiting their memorials in Washington, D.C., via the
Honor Flight Network private charter flights, saving them time and
showing them the due respect and appreciation they deserve.
This legislation will authorize the collaboration between TSA and the
Honor Flight Network in law, thereby ensuring that it becomes a
permanent practice.
Before yielding back, I would note that I am especially proud of the
bipartisan manner in which this legislation has come to the floor, from
its inception and its handling in the subcommittee to today, and I am
especially proud that this legislation received unanimous support in
committee. I am sure it received unanimous support because it wasn't a
political thing to do, it was the right thing to do, and truly
bestowing honor on people in this country who truly deserve this honor.
But for them, we would not be here today in the capacity that we are.
We have to understand and we recognize that it is their sacrifice and
their shoulders that we stand upon as a Nation. With that, I urge all
of my colleagues to support this legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, as we walk around our Nation's Capital and visit the
numerous war memorials, we are reminded of the incredible sacrifices
that have been made by our veterans over many decades. H.R. 4812 is a
simple and commonsense way to recognize and honor those sacrifices.
Mr. Speaker, I again want to commend the gentleman from Louisiana
(Mr. Richmond) for his work authoring this legislation. I am proud that
we moved this forward in a bipartisan way. As the gentleman said
earlier, this is not a political issue, this is not a partisan issue;
this is an issue of right or wrong, and it is right for us to honor our
veterans and it is right for us to expedite their travel when they
visit Washington, D.C. I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of
H.R. 4812, the ``Honor Flight Act.''
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from Louisiana,
the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Mr.
Richmond, for introducing this bipartisan legislation.
We owe a great debt to the men and women of this country who have
served to defend our liberty and freedom.
The Honor Flight Network is one organization that attempts to repay
these veterans, by bringing them to Washington, DC, to visit the war
memorials commemorating their dedication and sacrifice.
[[Page H6611]]
I have seen how these trips have enriched the lives of veterans. In
my district, fifty (50) servicemen and women registered with the Honor
Flight-Mid South in Tunica, Mississippi.
Enactment of this legislation will, in some small way, express the
tremendous appreciation and gratitude that we have for these veterans
and their families.
We are all aware of the steps that the Transportation Security
Administration takes to ensure the security of the flying public, as
well as the amount of time that this process can consume.
We are also aware that the veterans that the Honor Flight Network
currently serves are mostly World War II veterans.
These heroes, who in some instances require additional assistance,
are often wheel-chair-bound, and have other ailments that can make
security screening very time-consuming.
To provide these veterans with the dignity and respect they deserve,
since 2005, the Honor Flight Network has partnered with TSA to expedite
the screening for veterans.
The legislation before us today will ensure that these veterans
continue to receive the respect and consideration they deserve when
traveling to the capital.
H.R. 4812 represents one of many pieces of legislation that
Democratic members of the Committee on Homeland Security have proposed
to support veterans.
Former Representative Hochul's ``Clothe a Homeless Hero Act'', signed
into law last Congress, ensures that unclaimed clothes that TSA
collects at airports is provided to homeless or needy veterans.
Earlier this Congress, Representative Gabbard's ``Helping Heroes Fly
Act'' was signed into law by President Obama.
That legislation ensures that severely-injured service members and
veterans are provided expedited screening by TSA.
Now we have the opportunity to extend such treatment to our veterans
of World War II and, in years to come, to the other selfless men and
women who served our country.
Mr. Speaker, we recently commemorated the seventieth anniversary of
the D-Day invasion as well as 238 years of American independence.
Let us continue to support and honor the men and women who made these
commemorations possible by enacting the ``Honor Flight Act.''
With that Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this measure.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4812, the
Honor Flight Act. This bill would require TSA to establish a process
for providing expedited and dignified screening for veterans traveling
to visit war memorials built and dedicated to honor their service.
As the son of a World War II veteran, I'd like to commend the
Congressman from Louisiana, Mr. Richmond for his work on this issue, as
well as the important work of the Congressman from North Carolina, Mr.
Hudson, Chairman of the Transportation Security Subcommittee.
Having recently witnessed the arrival of an honor flight at Reagan
National Airport, I can honestly say that there is nothing more
inspiring than seeing these heroic men and women who have made a
tremendous sacrifice arriving in our Nation's capital to visit war
memorials that are dedicated to their service.
This bill codifies current TSA policy and ensures that TSA continues
to take a proactive approach to expediting screening for veterans
traveling on Honor Flights. In doing so, it would ensure that TSA spend
less time scrutinizing this lower-risk population and more time and
energy screening higher-risk passengers and focusing on the real
threats to our aviation sector.
As Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, I am pleased to
support such a bipartisan, commonsense effort.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 4812, the
Honor Flight Act, which honors our World War II veterans, who have
sacrificed much for this country, with a small but significant token of
gratitude.
H.R. 4812 requires the Administrator of the Transportation Security
Authority to ensure expedited and dignified screening for veterans
travelling through airports on special chartered flights to visit war
memorials built in their honor.
The Honor Flight program was created in 2005 by Earl Morse, a private
pilot and former physician's assistant at the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Mr. Morse realized the depth of his patients' desire to visit
the newly-built World War II Memorial. However, he realized many of
these patients lacked the financial resources to pay for the long trip
on their own. Mr. Morse understood what seeing this memorial meant to
his patients, so he found a way to facilitate them having that
opportunity.
The average soldier in World War II was 26 years old, making many of
them in their nineties today. Long airport lines and invasive TSA
procedures are tiring for anyone. For our soldiers who fought in war
40, 50, and 60 years ago, especially those now in wheel chairs, it is
arduous. Sadly, these long and frustrating security protocols often
discourage veterans from making these wonderful and meaningful
journeys. Mr. Speaker, our World War II veterans have done their duty.
It is our duty now to reduce the hardship they might face in any way we
can.
The TSA is doing a wonderful job of ensuring that our airports are
secure and safe. Nothing in the Honor Flight Act would change that. The
bill seeks to work entirely within their security requirements to
ensure safety while minimizing the stress felt by our veterans when
visiting a memorial through the Honor Flight program. It is a simple,
low cost way to recognize our veterans' service.
I want to thank the Homeland Security Committee for bringing this
bill before us today and offer my strong support.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland
Security Committee and the former ranking member and chair of the
Subcommittee on Transportation Security, I rise in strong support of
H.R. 4812, the Honor Flight Act of 2014.
H.R. 4812 authorizes the collaboration between the Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) and the Honor Flight Network, as well as
other non-profit organizations that transport veterans to visit
memorials, to ensure continued expedited and dignified passenger
screening for veterans travelling to Washington, D.C. to visit
memorials and other tributes to their bravery, heroism, and sacrifice
in the cause of freedom.
Mr. Speaker, thousands of veterans across the country fought to
protect the freedoms we take for granted and to keep our nation safe.
They are deserving of our gratitude for the valor and courage they
displayed in risking their lives to keep us free and to liberate
captive peoples in other lands.
They are veterans of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War,
and the Gulf Wars--Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.
With each passing day, the number of World War II and Korea veterans
declines by the hundreds. For many of these heroes, one of their last
wishes is to visit the national war memorials in Washington, D.C.
Honoring and facilitating that request is the least we can do for
those who did so much for us.
TSA works with the Honor Flight Network in expediting the screening
process for veterans visiting the national war memorials, saving the
veterans' time and showing them their due respect and appreciation.
The Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to
transporting veterans on charter flights operated by commercial
airlines to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials built in honor of their
service.
Currently, the Honor Flight Network gives priority to WWII veterans
and those from any war who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
The Honor Flight Network plans to expand the program in the future to
include the veterans who served during the Korean and Vietnam Wars,
followed by veterans of the wars in the Persian Gulf.
Mr. Speaker, my home state of Texas has the second largest number of
veterans of any state in the nation, with just over 1.6 million
veterans. My home city of Houston is proud to be the residence of more
than 300,000 veterans.
I strongly support the bill before us because I strongly support the
efforts of TSA and the Honor Flight Network in making real the dreams,
and in many cases the last wishes, of thousands of veterans who wish to
visit the memorials dedicated by the nation in their honor.
I urge all members to join me in supporting H.R. 4812 so that our
veterans continue to receive the security accommodations they need and
deserve as they travel to Washington, D.C. to view the national
memorials consecrated by their sacrifice in defense of our country.
Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R.
4812, the Honor Flight Act.
The Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to
transporting our military veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the
memorials of their respective wars. The brave men and women who have
fought for our country deserve the chance to see the memorials erected
in honor of their sacrifices and contributions, and the Honor Flight
Network provides that chance.
I have had the opportunity to greet Honor Flights a few times, most
recently last October. It truly is a privilege to shake hands with our
nation's heroes as they arrive to see their memorials, and I was
honored to participate in greeting them. These men and women put their
lives on the line to protect our freedoms, and they deserve our deepest
gratitude. I believe one small measure we can take to show that
gratitude is to make the travel process for
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Honor Flight participants as smooth and easy as possible.
The commonsense legislation before us today is a step to achieving
that goal. It sets in motion a process for expedited passenger
screening services by TSA for veterans traveling on an Honor Flight
Network charter. It simply makes sense to authorize and facilitate
collaboration between TSA and the Honor Flight Network to ensure that
our veterans are treated with the respect they have earned and deserve
when they come to visit the memorials dedicated to their service.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4812 as a token of
appreciation for our veterans' service.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hudson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4812, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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