[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 146 (Tuesday, September 4, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H7809-H7810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TSA NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT FORCE ACT
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 6461) to amend title 49, United States Code, to establish in the
Transportation Security Administration a National Deployment Office,
and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6461
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 ``TSA National Deployment
Force Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT OFFICE.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 449 of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``Sec. 44947. National Deployment Office
``(a) Establishment.--There is established within the
Transportation Security Administration a National Deployment
Office, to be headed by an individual with supervisory
experience. Such individual shall be designated by the
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
``(b) Duties.--The individual designated as the head of the
National Deployment Office shall be responsible for the
following:
``(1) Maintaining a National Deployment Force within the
Transportation Security Administration that is comprised of
transportation security officers, including supervisory
transportation security officers and lead transportation
security officers, to provide the Administration with rapid
and efficient response capabilities and augment the
Department of Homeland Security's homeland security
operations to mitigate and reduce risk, including for the
following:
``(A) Airports temporarily requiring additional security
personnel due to an emergency, seasonal demands, hiring
shortfalls, severe weather conditions, passenger volume
mitigation, equipment support, or other reasons.
``(B) Special events requiring enhanced security including
National Special Security Events, as determined by the
Secretary of Homeland Security.
``(C) Response in the aftermath of any manmade disaster,
including any terrorist attack.
``(D) Other such situations, as determined by the
Administrator.
``(2) Educating transportation security officers regarding
how to participate in the Administration's National
Deployment Force.
``(3) Recruiting officers to serve on the National
Deployment Force, in accordance with a staffing model to be
developed by the Administrator.
``(4) Approving one-year appointments for officers to serve
on the National Deployment Force, with an option to extend
upon officer request and with the approval of the appropriate
Federal Security Director.
``(5) Training officers to serve on the National Deployment
Force.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter II of
chapter 449 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new item:
``44947. National Deployment Office.''.
SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
Subsection (f) of section 114 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (14), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (15) as paragraph (16); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (14) the following new
paragraph:
``(15) establish and maintain a National Deployment Office
as required under section 44947 of this title; and''.
SEC. 4. CAREER DEVELOPMENT.
The Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration may consider service in the National
Deployment Force as a positive factor when evaluating
applicants for promotion opportunities within the
Transportation Security Administration.
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT.
Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this
Act and annually thereafter for five years, the Administrator
of the Transportation Security Administration shall submit to
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report regarding activities of
the National Deployment Office, including the National
Deployment Force, established under section 44947 of title
49, United States Code, as added by section 2 of this Act.
Each such report shall include information relating to the
following:
(1) When, where, why, how many, and for how long the
National Deployment Force was deployed throughout the 12-
month period covered by such report and the costs associated
with such deployment.
(2) A description of collaboration between the National
Deployment Office and other components of the Department of
Homeland Security, other Federal agencies, and State and
local transportation security stakeholders.
(3) The size of the National Deployment Force, including
information on the staffing model of such Force and adherence
to such model as established by the Administrator.
(4) Information on recruitment, appointment, and training
activities, including processes utilized to attract, recruit,
appoint, and train officers to serve on the National
Deployment Force.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Katko) and the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson
Coleman) 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 support of H.R. 6461, the TSA National
Deployment Force Act, sponsored by my good friend and the ranking
member of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security,
Mrs. Watson Coleman.
TSA security operations happen 365 days per year at nearly 440
federalized airports. Our Nation depends on the professionals at TSA
who are on the front lines every single day to keep our transportation
systems moving and secure.
In testimony before the committee, Administrator Pekoske has stated
that TSA's greatest assets are its people, and I could not agree more.
Transportation security officers are tasked with a zero-fail mission,
and their dedication to duty is what helps keep traveling Americans
secure when they fly within our civil aviation system.
With a strengthening economy, passenger volume has surged over the
past few years and is expected to go much higher in the years to come,
and TSA has often struggled to accommodate massive traveler volume
increases at checkpoints. However, one of the most practical, useful,
and helpful tools in TSA's toolbox, the National Deployment Force,
helps TSA alleviate long lines at airport checkpoints, providing both a
national security value by minimizing public area security risk and
providing efficiency by reducing passenger wait times.
This legislation authorizes the National Deployment Force, or NDF,
within TSA to provide rapid and efficient response capabilities.
The NDF is comprised of transportation security officers who may be
deployed across the country to supplement existing TSA staffing during
periods of high seasonal demand, natural disasters, national special
security events, or other scenarios requiring additional security
screening support.
Recently, the NDF has provided critical screening support for large-
scale events requiring additional security, such as the Super Bowl and
in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Given the anticipated increases in
passenger growth, this bipartisan legislation will help ensure that TSA
has the resources
[[Page H7810]]
it needs to quickly respond to influxes in passenger volume at specific
airports.
I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan legislation with my good
friend and colleague from New Jersey to authorize a National Deployment
Force and help make TSA the agile agency the American people expect and
deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6461, the TSA National
Deployment Force Act.
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Security Administration maintains a
National Deployment Force, or NDF, a volunteer force made up of
transportation security officers who are deployed to various locations
across the country in support of TSA's homeland security mission.
Today, the TSA Administrator is able to deploy this force to respond
rapidly to operational challenges at more than 440 airports where TSA
conducts security operations. Maintenance of this operational
capability would not be possible if TSA did not maintain a robust
federalized screening workforce.
TSA deploys the NDF to address hiring difficulties, seasonal demands,
severe weather conditions, and periods of relief and recovery following
a natural disaster or other major incident, as well as to support
securing national security events, again, such as the Super Bowl and
national political conventions. In particular, the NDF was critical to
ensuring TSA could continue to operate fully in the aftermath of
Hurricane Sandy after that storm devastated my region of the country.
Notably, TSA has called upon the NDF to fill staffing gaps at
airports where private screening companies operating under TSA's
screening partnership program are unable to hire enough officers. My
bill authorizes the NDF to ensure its work continues and directs TSA to
report to Congress on the NDF's activities to ensure proper oversight.
Because officers serving on the NDF often go above and beyond,
leaving their homes and families on short notice, my bill authorizes
TSA to consider service in this force as a positive factor when
evaluating applicants for promotions within TSA.
The NDF is a critical component of TSA's homeland security efforts,
and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, in recent years, we have seen TSA face a
wide array of challenges, including complex threat streams, lengthy
wait times, and the need to reopen airports quickly after natural
disasters. The NDF provides TSA with the operational flexibility it
needs to maintain the security of our country's transportation systems
in the face of these challenges.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my partner on the Transportation and Protective
Security Subcommittee, Mr. Katko, as well as my other colleagues for
their support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6461.
I agree with the comments of my colleague from New Jersey, and I
think that this commonsense legislation will give TSA more flexibility
and more elasticity in facing the ongoing challenges with staffing
issues at airports, especially during peak travel times.
Mr. Speaker, 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. 6461.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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