[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 156 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8021-H8022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HELPING FAMILIES FLY ACT OF 2019
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3694) to require the Transportation Security Administration
to implement training for frontline Administration personnel regarding
the screening of pregnant women and families with young children at
passenger screening checkpoints, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3694
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 ``Helping Families Fly Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. TRAINING REQUIRED.
(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall develop
and implement training for frontline Administration personnel
regarding the screening of pregnant women and families with
young children at passenger screening checkpoints. Such
training shall include the following:
(1) Information relating to concerns of pregnant women
relating to the use of Advanced Imaging Technology and
appropriate opt-out procedures and alternative screening
procedures.
(2) Guidelines to assist pregnant women and families
traveling with young children effectively and efficiently
complete the screening process in a manner that is respectful
and improves the overall functioning of the screening
checkpoint.
(3) Communication and procedural guidelines for frontline
Administration personnel to assist with passenger divestiture
for pregnant women and families traveling with young children
to improve the effectiveness and overall passenger experience
at the screening checkpoint.
(b) Communications Strategy.--In conjunction with the
implementation of the training required under subsection (a),
the Administrator shall develop and implement a
communications strategy for pregnant women and families
traveling with young children to inform such women and
families of the procedures and guidelines described in such
subsection, including providing information to relevant
passengers through social media, the Administration's public
website, the Administration's customer service call center,
and partnerships with aviation stakeholders, including air
carriers and airport operators.
(c) Passenger Support Specialists.--In carrying out
subsections (a) and (b), the Administrator shall, to the
extent possible, make available passenger support
specialists, upon request, to pregnant women and families
traveling with young children to assist with screening
checkpoint information, concerns, and procedures.
(d) TSA Family Lanes Feasibility Assessment.--Not later
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Administrator shall conduct a feasibility assessment to
determine whether screening processes and the screening
experience may be improved for travelers by developing
optional, dedicated screening lanes for families traveling
with young children at airports where the checkpoint
configuration would allow and where the overall functioning
of the checkpoint would not be inhibited in terms of
passenger throughput or security effectiveness.
(e) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after the
implementation of the training required under subsection (a),
the Administrator shall brief the appropriate congressional
committees on progress regarding the implementation of this
Act and improvements made to the screening process for
pregnant women and families traveling with young children.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the
Transportation Security Administration.
(2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
(3) Appropriate congressional committees.--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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Correa) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous materials on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
[[Page H8022]]
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3694, the Helping
Families Fly Act.
Traveling through the airport can be a stressful time for many of our
travelers. Pregnant women and families with young children sometimes
experience more difficulty when traveling, especially during the
screening process.
TSA's current screening procedures must be improved to ensure that
these families are supported and have an easier experience flying
through America's airports.
This bill will improve the screening process for pregnant women and
their families by requiring security personnel to undergo training
specific to the concerns and needs of these specific travelers.
Additionally, this legislation requires TSA to increase awareness of
security procedures and guidelines by utilizing various forms of
communication to keep families informed of the different options they
may have during the screening process. This includes providing
passengers, upon request, support specialists for women and families
and adequate opt-out options to allow passengers to undergo alternative
screening procedures.
In short, this bill helps to improve TSA operations and support the
millions of pregnant women and young families who travel throughout our
Nation's airports.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3694, the Helping
Families Fly Act, sponsored by my friend and colleague from Arizona,
Representative Lesko.
H.R. 3694 requires TSA to implement a number of reforms aimed at
improving the travel experience for pregnant women and families with
young children, including specific assistance by TSA officers at
checkpoints and new training for officers.
Representative Lesko's bill will ensure that TSA works closely with
transportation stakeholders to make pregnant travelers and families
aware of screening procedures and options for assistance.
This good-government bill recognizes that TSA is oftentimes seen as
the face of the Department of Homeland Security, screening more than 2
million passengers a day. As such, it is incumbent upon the agency to
ensure its services are working for all travelers.
H.R. 3694 will improve the passenger experience for pregnant women
and families with young children. I urge my colleagues to support this
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared
to close after the gentleman from Tennessee closes.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko).
Mrs. LESKO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for
yielding me the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bipartisan
legislation, H.R. 3694, the Helping Families Fly Act.
I believe strongly that TSA's passenger screening checkpoints should
be a family-friendly environment. Airports can already be stressful
places for the traveling public, and that stress can be exacerbated for
expecting mothers or families traveling with young children.
That is why I introduced this bill, which directs TSA to train
frontline personnel on how to appropriately address traveler concerns
related to screening technologies and opt-out procedures.
Additionally, H.R. 3694 seeks to improve the passenger screening
process by increasing the availability of frontline TSA personnel and
passenger support specialists for pregnant women and families with
young children.
Moreover, my legislation requires TSA to communicate across its
various media platforms, and in partnership with transportation
stakeholders, any improvements, procedures, changes, or services
relevant to pregnant women and families with young children.
Lastly, H.R. 3694 will examine whether certain checkpoints may
accommodate dedicated family-friendly screening lanes, which will
improve the experience for traveling families while also improving the
operation across all checkpoint lanes.
Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the Transportation and Maritime
Security Subcommittee, as well as a mother and grandmother, I believe
that we should be holding TSA accountable in how it interacts with the
traveling public and facilitates the efficient and effective screening
of passengers who are pregnant and traveling with young families.
I thank the chairman of the Transportation and Maritime Security
Subcommittee, Representative Correa, for his bipartisan support of this
legislation. We don't always have a lot of that here, so I am very
thankful that we were able to agree on this bill.
Additionally, I thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Rogers for
their work to bring this bill to the floor today and all the bill's
cosponsors.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation
to make travel more friendly.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on
the bill. I renew my support for the bill, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3694 will improve the traveling
experience for pregnant women and young families traveling throughout
our Nation's airports.
By improving the awareness and skills of our security personnel, and
providing more resources and support for our families, we will help
ensure that our Nation's airports provide a safe, fair, and efficient
traveling experience for all.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for offering this
good legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3694, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Correa) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3694.
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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