[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 106 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5627-H5629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION REFORM ACT OF 2018
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 5730) to require testing and evaluation of advanced
transportation security screening technologies related to the mission
of the Transportation Security Administration, and for other purposes,
as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5730
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 ``Transportation Security
Technology Innovation Reform Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the
Transportation Security Administration.
(2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Administration.
(3) Appropriate congressional committee.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate.
(4) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Homeland Security.
SEC. 3. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS INTEGRATION FACILITY.
(a) In General.--There is established in the Administration
a Transportation Security Administration Systems Integration
Facility (TSIF) for the purposes of testing and evaluating
advanced transportation security screening technologies
related to the mission of the Administration. The TSIF
shall--
(1) evaluate such technologies to enhance the security of
transportation systems through screening and threat
mitigation and detection;
(2) conduct testing of such technologies to support
identified mission needs of the Administration and to meet
requirements for acquisitions and procurement;
(3) to the extent practicable, provide original equipment
manufacturers with test plans to minimize requirement
interpretation disputes and adhere to provided test plans;
(4) collaborate with other technical laboratories and
facilities for purposes of augmenting TSIF's capabilities;
(5) deliver advanced transportation security screening
technologies that enhance the overall security of domestic
transportation systems; and
(6) to the extent practicable, provide funding and promote
efforts to enable participation by a small business concern
(as such term is described under section 3 of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) that has an advanced technology
or capability but does not have adequate resources to
participate in testing and evaluation processes.
(b) Staffing and Resource Allocation.--The Administrator
shall ensure adequate staffing and resource allocations for
the TSIF in a manner which--
(1) prevents unnecessary delays in testing and evaluating
advanced transportation security screening technologies for
acquisitions and procurement determinations;
(2) ensures the issuance of final paperwork certification
does not exceed 45 days after the conclusion of such testing
and evaluation; and
(3) collaborates with technology stakeholders to close
capabilities gaps in transportation security.
(c) Timeframe.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator shall notify the
appropriate congressional committees whenever testing and
evaluation by TSIF of an advanced transportation security
screening technology under this section exceeds 180 days as
determined from the date on which the owner of such
technology turned over such technology to the Administration
after installation for testing and
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evaluation purposes, as evidenced by a signed Test Readiness
Notification from such owner to the Administration. Such
notification shall include--
(A) information relating to the arrival date of such
technology;
(B) reasons why the testing and evaluation process has
exceeded 180 days; and
(C) an estimated time for completion of such testing and
evaluation.
(2) Retesting and evaluation.--Advanced transportation
security screening technology that fails testing and
evaluation by the TSIF may be retested and evaluated.
(d) Relationship to Other Department Entities and Federal
Agencies.--The authority of the Administrator under this
title shall not affect the authorities or responsibilities of
any officer of the Department or of any officer of any other
department or agency of the United States with respect to
research, development, testing, and evaluation, including the
authorities and responsibilities of the Undersecretary for
Science and Technology of the Department and the Countering
Weapons of Mass Destruction Office of the Department.
SEC. 4. REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITIONS PROCESS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall, in
coordination with relevant officials of the Department,
conduct a review of existing advanced transportation security
screening technology development, acquisitions, and
procurement practices within the Administration. Such review
shall include--
(1) identifying process delays and bottlenecks within the
Department and the Administration regarding how such
technology is identified, developed, acquired, and deployed;
(2) assessing whether the Administration can better
leverage existing resources or processes of the Department
for the purposes of technology innovation and development;
(3) assessing whether the Administration can further
encourage innovation and competition among technology
stakeholders, including through increased participation of
and funding for small business concerns (as such term is
described under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 632));
(4) identifying best practices of other Department
components or United States Government entities; and
(5) a plan to address problems and challenges identified by
such review.
(b) Briefing.--The Administrator shall provide to the
appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the
findings of the review required under this section and a plan
to address problems and challenges identified by such review.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION ACQUISITIONS AND PROCUREMENT
ENHANCEMENT.
(a) In General.--The Administrator shall--
(1) engage in outreach, coordination, and collaboration
with transportation stakeholders to identify and foster
innovation of new advanced transportation security screening
technologies;
(2) streamline the overall technology development, testing,
evaluation, acquisitions, procurement, and deployment
processes of the Administration; and
(3) ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of such
processes.
SEC. 6. ASSESSMENT.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with
the Chief Privacy Officer of the Department of Homeland
Security, shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a compliance
assessment of the Transportation Security Administration's
acquisition process relating to the health and safety risks
associated with implementation of screening technologies.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Katko) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and
include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5730, the
Transportation Security Technology Innovation Reform Act of 2018. This
legislation represents a culmination of years of bipartisan oversight
efforts by the Homeland Security Committee and, more specifically, the
Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, which I chair.
My committee colleagues and I have seen, firsthand, the challenges
facing TSA in delivering advanced security technologies to the front
lines at airports. Technologies such as Computed Tomography and
Credential Authentication Technology are years behind where they should
be in deployment due to unnecessary delays, opaque testing timelines,
and capacity challenges at TSA.
What is even more frustrating is that these technologies, made by
American companies, are already deployed at a number of airports
overseas in foreign countries, while our own government cannot
efficiently test and deploy these already-proven technologies.
For far too long we have seen the traveling public wait for cutting-
edge technologies while bureaucratic hindrances and government
inefficiencies plague TSA's testing and evaluation process. Today, the
House has the opportunity to pass a solution to this problem.
H.R. 5730 will reform and galvanize efforts to bring 21st-century
solutions to persistent security challenges facing America's
transportation systems. Specifically, this legislation will authorize
the core functions of the TSA Systems Integration Facility, or TSIF for
short.
The TSIF will be charged with conducting efficient and transparent
testing of critical security technologies in a manner that is
responsive to stakeholders and the needs of the traveling public.
One key problem that I often hear from technology stakeholders is
that TSA does not have the bandwidth or resources to efficiently
conduct testing and evaluation of new screening technologies in a
timely manner.
This legislation will ensure that adequate staffing and resources are
allocated to the TSIF, and that TSA is authorized to collaborate with
outside laboratories and stakeholders to expedite the much-needed
testing of these technologies.
Further, this legislation provides significant accountability by
requiring TSA to share test plans with original equipment manufacturers
in order to ensure the integrity and consistency of testing and
evaluation processes. The bill includes specific metrics for reporting
to Congress and stakeholders on delays in testing so that there is
greater visibility into potential bureaucratic hiccups.
H.R. 5730 directs the TSA Administrator to conduct a wholesale
evaluation of the agency's testing and acquisition processes and
identify areas that can be streamlined and improved. This legislation
emphasizes the agency's need to engage and leverage other government
agencies, transportation stakeholders, and small businesses, to more
effectively and expeditiously deploy critical security technologies.
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Security Technology Innovation Reform
Act of 2018 cuts straight to the heart of the problems plaguing TSA,
and directly addresses issues identified by stakeholders.
As any of my committee colleagues can tell you, the threats facing
transportation security now are more severe and more troubling than
ever, and our ability to effectively mitigate these threats with
advanced technology is of the utmost importance.
I wish to thank my friend, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on
Transportation and Protective Security, Mrs. Watson Coleman, whose
partnership and leadership on this issue has been critical to bringing
this bill to the floor today.
I also would like to thank the full committee chairman, Mr. McCaul,
for his support of the bill and for shepherding it through the
committee process.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5730, the Transportation
Security Technology Innovation Reform Act of 2018. H.R. 5730 authorizes
TSA's Transportation Security Administration Systems Integration
Facility, or TSIF.
Threats against the transportation system are constantly evolving.
They demand the TSA be proactive in developing new and innovative
technologies. By authorizing the TSIF, H.R. 5730 directs TSA to
evaluate, test, collaborate on and, ultimately, deliver advance
screening technologies.
H.R. 5730 also includes language to ensure that TSA has the necessary
staff and resources to develop the best
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and most cutting-edge technology. Importantly, the bill includes
language authored by the Ranking Member, Mr. Thompson, to enhance the
level of support TSA provides to small businesses throughout TSA's
technology testing and procurement process.
Greater participation of small businesses, really, where innovation
happens, in the security marketplace, will not only help ensure that
promising technologies are pursued; it will also help TSA move away
from its reliance on a handful of large technology manufacturers.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House to support this
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
First of all, I want to thank my colleague from Rhode Island for his
comments in support of this bill as well, and shepherding it through
the process here today on the floor.
I will note--and I want to digress for a moment. We went on a
congressional delegation. I led that delegation to Europe and the
Middle East several months ago, and it was a bipartisan effort to
evaluate the technologies in use at other airports in Europe and in the
Middle East. And it was stunning for us to go to those airports and see
American-made computed tomography, or 3-D scanners, already on the
front lines, already doing the job, already making those airports much
safer than ours are today, and those products are made here in the
United States.
It is maddening that we had this bureaucratic bottleneck of testing
procedures and algorithms and everything else, while the front lines
are not being addressed. So this bill attempts to address that backlog,
and I am very proud to have been a sponsor of it.
Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close once
the gentleman from Rhode Island does. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
H.R. 5730 is focused on closing security capability gaps and
streamlining the technology acquisitions process at TSA.
When everything is said and done, TSA's ultimate mission is to ensure
the safety and security of the traveling public, and H.R. 5730 would do
just that.
I commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) for his work on
this legislation. I think it is going to make an appreciable difference
in keeping the traveling public safe.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5730, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
To use an old saying that I like to use, TSA seems to be engaged in
the practice of polishing the brass while the fire bell is ringing; and
the fire bell is, indeed, ringing with the bad guys trying to get scary
technology through our security measures in order to do harm to the
American people. And the technologies that are already existing out
there are not being put on the front line, and that is a shame. This
bill attempts to address that.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5730, 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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