[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 149 (Thursday, September 15, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S4633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of David P. Pekoske

  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to ask my 
colleagues to vote on the nomination of Admiral David Pekoske to serve 
a second term as Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration.
  We recently commemorated the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the 
3,000 lives lost here in the United States when tragically the Pentagon 
was struck, downtown Manhattan, and Shanksville, PA. In response to 
that, Congress created the TSA--Transportation Security 
Administration--to strengthen the Nation's security and our 
transportation system.
  And every day that TSA works the frontlines to protect the traveling 
public, it is working to also prevent future attacks. It is 
safeguarding our Nation's infrastructure and certainly working every 
day to make sure that the flying public continues to move through a 
successful process.
  TSA's mission lies in the commitment of professionals and highly 
skilled individuals. Admiral Pekoske's confirmation and continued 
leadership of this team will enable the TSA to further its ongoing and 
important mission.
  Over the past two decades, the TSA has had to deal with many 
challenges: facing the continued threats of concealing weapons in shoes 
and underwear and even in soft drinks. And in 2010, the TSA began 
detecting explosives in electronics and countering attacks on the 
public side of airports.
  Today, the landscape is even more sophisticated with state and 
nonstate actors and cyber attacks. Unique challenges posed to us during 
the COVID pandemic have made these challenges to the aviation security 
landscape even greater.
  We know that we need to have continued experienced leadership. And 
Admirable Pekoske is well qualified for this position. He will continue 
to make transportation security and its modernization the Nation's No. 
1 priority as it relates to the sector.
  Each day, at over 430 airports across the country, TSA screens over 2 
million passengers and 1.4 million checked bags for explosives and 
other dangerous items. This helps ensure the security for over 24,000 
domestic flights and nearly 3,300 outbound international flights per 
day.
  Security demands for the Agency are returning and every day are 
continuing to grow. Over the Labor Day weekend, TSA screened nearly 11 
million people, or 3 percent more, over the corresponding period in 
2019. In fact, TSA screened more people on 4 of the 5 days, from 
September 1 to 5, marking the first sustained period of checkpoint 
throughput during a holiday weekend above prepandemic levels.
  So the traveling public is back, and, obviously, we need dedicated 
TSA officers and individuals to continue to work. We are not saying 
that there aren't improvements to that process--there certainly are--
but TSA has been charged with a critical, obviously, responsibility to 
make sure that we continue to work to ensure the safety of our air 
transportation system.
  Last year's ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline threatened nearly 
50 percent of the east coast's fuel supply. So we must harden all of 
our targets and make sure the TSA has leadership to make sure that 
they, too, are helping us address these emerging threats.
  Admiral Pekoske's experience in leading TSA in these critical 
missions deserves support for renomination to this position again.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.