[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5085-H5086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TSA PERSONNEL WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2020

  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5811) to require the Transportation Security Administration 
to provide nursing facilities and paid parental leave for 
Administration personnel, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5811

       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 Personnel Workplace 
     Improvement Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. NURSING FACILITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY 
                   ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
     Transportation Security Administration shall ensure that all 
     Administration personnel have adequate access to facilities 
     designated for use by nursing mothers in the workplace. Such 
     facilities shall be--
       (1) assessed for cleanliness, safety, and accessibility to 
     personnel duty stations;
       (2) free of charge;
       (3) located in a place, other than a bathroom, that is 
     shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and 
     the public; and
       (4) available for personnel to use with a reasonable break 
     time to express breast milk for a child of such personnel 
     each time such personnel has a need to express milk.
       (b) Duration.--The Administrator of the Transportation 
     Security Administration shall ensure that the availability to 
     Administration personnel described in subsection (a)(4) is 
     for a period of time equal to at least one year from the 
     birth of a child of an Administration employee.
       (c) Coordination With Stakeholders.--In carrying out the 
     requirements in subsection (a), the Administrator of the 
     Transportation Security Administration shall coordinate with 
     the National Institutes for Health and the labor organization 
     representing Administration screening personnel.
       (d) Notification.--The Administrator of the Transportation 
     Security Administration

[[Page H5086]]

     shall inform Administration personnel about the availability 
     under subsection (a) of facilities designed for use by 
     nursing mothers in the workplace.

     SEC. 3. PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.

       Section 114(n)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``The personnel management'' and inserting 
     ``(A) Consistent with subparagraph (B), the personnel 
     management''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) The Administrator shall ensure that all 
     Administration personnel not provided paid parental leave 
     under subparagraph (B) of section 111(d)(2) (as added by 
     section 7606 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92)) are provided at least 
     12 weeks of such leave, consistent with the requirements of 
     such subparagraph.''.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Underwood) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Joyce) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 5811, the TSA Personnel 
Workforce Improvement Act of 2020. The country recently observed the 
19th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, a day that 
shook the Nation to its core and changed it forever. The federalization 
of the aviation screening workforce was one of the most important steps 
taken as a Nation to restore America's confidence in flying again.
  Today, with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves 
at another moment when many Americans are not comfortable flying. 
Still, we have a dedicated workforce in our Nation's airports that 
stand ready to protect America's flying public. Yet, this cadre of 
frontline workers, transportation security officers--also known as 
TSOs--continues to be among the lowest paid Federal employees.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5811, the TSA Personnel Workplace Improvement Act 
of 2020, seeks to ease some of the burden on TSOs who are also juggling 
the care of small children. The legislation directs TSA to provide 
lactation facilities for nursing mothers and 12 weeks of paid parental 
leave for all TSA personnel.
  Under H.R. 5811, these lactation facilities must be assessed for 
cleanliness, safety, and accessibility to personnel duty stations, and 
TSA must coordinate implementation of the bill with relevant 
stakeholders, including the union representing frontline TSA officers. 
Given TSA's complex and challenging mission, the agency must explore 
all options to retain talent, which includes parents and nursing 
mothers.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5811, the TSA 
Personnel Workplace Improvement Act of 2020. This bipartisan 
legislation, championed by Representative   John Katko, will make 
important enhancements to the workplace rights of TSA employees, in 
particular, women and nursing mothers.
  Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline personnel of the 
Transportation Security Administration have continued to serve the 
traveling public to keep our Nation's transportation system secure. At 
a time when the criticality of the TSA personnel is so clearly 
demonstrated, we, in Congress, have an opportunity with this bill to 
express appreciation for their services.
  H.R. 5811 requires the administrator to ensure that employees have 
access to safe, clean, and free lactation facilities for an appropriate 
amount of time. It requires TSA to coordinate with National Institutes 
for Health to ensure that lactation facilities meet necessary 
standards. Finally, this legislation will ensure paid family leave for 
the entire TSA workforce.
  Mr. Speaker, this corrects an oversight in last year's NDAA that 
provided paid family leave to the rest of the Federal workforce. I 
thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) for his leadership on 
this important legislation. I also thank the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Correa) for his support of this bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 5811, a bill that seeks to 
improve conditions for working parents in TSA's frontline workforce. 
These improvements may increase morale and retention, which is critical 
to ensure the effectiveness of aviation security in the face of 
evolving threats.
  I thank the gentleman from New York for introducing this bill, and I 
urge its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5811, 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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