[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H7344-H7345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TSA COMMUTING FAIRNESS ACT
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 8662) to reduce commuting burdens on Transportation
Security Administration employees, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 8662
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 Commuting Fairness
Act''.
SEC. 2. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON TSA COMMUTING BENEFITS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration shall submit to the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a study on the feasibility
of treating as on-duty hours the time Transportation Security
Administration employees working at airport locations spend
traveling between regular duty locations and airport parking
lots and bus and transit stops.
(b) Considerations.--In conducting the feasibility study
required under subsection (a), the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration shall consider the
following with respect to Transportation Security
Administration employees:
(1) The amount of time needed by such employees to travel
between regular duty locations and airport parking lots and
bus and transit stops at small hub airports, medium hub
airports, and large hub airports (as such terms are defined
in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code).
(2) The amount of time such employees spend commuting, on
average, exclusive of the time described in paragraph (1).
(3) The potential benefits to such employees and the
Administration of treating as on-duty hours the time
described in such paragraph.
[[Page H7345]]
(4) The feasibility of using mobile phones, location data,
and any other means to allow such employees to report their
arrival to and departure from the airport parking lots and
bus and transit stops concerned.
(5) The estimated costs of treating as on-duty hours the
time described in such paragraph, including by considering
such hours creditable as basic pay for retirement purposes.
(6) Other considerations determined appropriate by the
Administrator.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Green) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kennedy)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8662.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8662, the TSA Commuting
Fairness Act.
TSA often struggles to adequately employ enough personnel, and given
the high cost of housing near airports, travel time to and from work
may be an inhibitor for current and future employees.
{time} 1445
This bill would require the TSA administrator to conduct a
feasibility study to address this issue. I thank my colleague from New
York (Mr. Kennedy) for bringing this legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, over the next couple of weeks, millions of Americans
will travel through our Nation's airports for the holidays.
Air travel is at an all-time high, with the 10 busiest days in the
Transportation Security Administration's history all occurring this
year.
Throughout this busy travel period, the efforts of TSA employees are
critical to keeping the aviation system secure.
Transportation security officers, or TSOs, screen travelers as they
pass through checkpoints. Federal air marshals provide an in-flight
security presence. K9 handlers add an extra layer of security to the
system.
TSA employees face some unique challenges when commuting to work,
however. Many employees find housing they can afford far from the
airports, leading to long commutes with limited public transit options
and heavy traffic.
Upon arrival at the airport, employees often must park in an employee
lot and wait on irregular shuttles to bring them to the airport
terminal where they may have to walk a long distance to a security
checkpoint just to clock in for work.
According to the Government Accountability Office, TSOs have reported
that just getting from the parking lot to the checkpoint to clock in
for work can take as long as 45 minutes. If these hardworking civil
servants are just a few minutes late to clock in, they can face
discipline and punishment.
My bill, the TSA Commuting Fairness Act, would help provide fairer
conditions for these employees as they commute to work to secure our
transportation systems.
This bill would direct TSA to conduct a feasibility study on using
mobile phones and location data to allow employees to clock in for work
upon arrival at the airport parking lots and bus transit stops.
Doing so would reduce commuting costs and improve quality of life for
TSA employees while allowing TSA leadership to manage the workforce
appropriately and maintain order and discipline.
This study will provide insight for TSA and Congress as we
collectively seek innovative ways to recruit and retain top talent to
help secure our transportation systems.
I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working with me
to develop this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am
prepared to close after the gentleman from New York closes, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield
myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, as we advance our efforts to recruit and retain a
skilled and well-trained workforce to secure our Nation's aviation
system, we must seek new ways to compete for top talent.
Studying ways to address some of the TSA's workforce's greatest
frustrations will allow TSA to continue to build the workforce it needs
to counter evolving threats and keep air travel moving.
This bill will push TSA to consider ways to improve the quality of
life for its workforce, which will ultimately help our national
security.
I urge all Members to support this measure, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
I again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8662, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 8662.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a
quorum is not present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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