[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18234-18236]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RISK-BASED SECURITY SCREENING FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ACT

  Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1801) to amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for 
expedited security screenings for members of the Armed Forces, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1801

       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 ``Risk-Based Security 
     Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act''.

     SEC. 2. SECURITY SCREENING FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

       (a) In General.--Section 44903 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(m) Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall develop 
     and implement a plan to provide expedited security screening 
     services for a member of the Armed Forces, and any 
     accompanying family member, when the member of the Armed 
     Forces presents documentation indicating official orders 
     while in uniform through a primary airport (as defined by 
     section 47102 of this title).
       ``(2) Protocols.--In developing the plan, the Assistant 
     Secretary shall consider--
       ``(A) leveraging existing security screening models used by 
     airports and air carriers to reduce passenger wait times 
     before entering a security screening checkpoint;
       ``(B) establishing standard guidelines for the screening of 
     military uniform items, including combat boots; and
       ``(C) incorporating any new screening protocols into an 
     existing trusted passenger program, as established pursuant 
     to section 109(a)(3) of the Aviation and Transportation 
     Security Act (Public Law 107-71; 115 Stat. 613; 49 U.S.C. 114 
     note), or into the development of any new credential or 
     system that incorporates biometric technology and other 
     applicable technologies to verify the identity of individuals 
     traveling in air transportation.
       ``(3) Report to congress.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
     submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on 
     the implementation of the plan.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall 
     implement the plan required by this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Richardson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The bill under consideration today, H.R. 1801, the Risk-Based 
Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act, is a bipartisan 
effort which directs TSA to establish an expedited screening process 
for members of the Armed Forces and their families when they are 
traveling on orders throughout our Nation's airports. Currently, 
military servicemembers traveling on orders must remove their Class A 
uniform blouse jackets, metal belt buckles and insignia devices before 
proceeding through security checkpoints.
  While it is important every passenger undergo a security screening 
before boarding a plane, it makes absolutely no sense to require 
American servicemembers to take off their jackets and medals for TSA 
screening before boarding their flights home. Unless intelligence 
identifies a specific threat, we

[[Page 18235]]

should honor our servicemembers' willingness to sacrifice themselves 
for our country by treating them as patriots, not operating under the 
assumption that everyone intends to harm our country's transportation 
system.
  Importantly, this commonsense bill will streamline the screening 
process for our servicemembers and lead to decreased checkpoint wait 
times for other American travelers. Moreover, this legislation will 
complement TSA Administrator Pistole's move toward a risk-based 
checkpoint screening system for passengers and will prioritize members 
of the Armed Forces for inclusion into that process.
  I am pleased to report that since H.R. 1801 was passed unanimously 
with bipartisan support in committee, TSA has now begun testing a 
military ID reading pilot program for U.S. armed servicemembers at 
Monterey Peninsula Airport in California. While this bill will not let 
a member of the Armed Forces bypass security, it will require TSA to 
develop an expedited screening process designed to reduce our 
servicemember's checkpoint waiting times and focus more resources on 
unknown and high-risk passengers.
  To be clear, this program does not impact the TSA's existing layered 
aviation security approach that includes Federal air marshals--the last 
line of defense--Federal flight deck officers, secure flight vetting, 
AIT machines, TSA intelligence analysts, explosive trace detection, 
canine teams, credentialing and boarding pass scanning systems, and 
behavior detection. It is merely part of the highly integrated risk-
based analysis system that allows further concentration of limited 
resources on potentially higher risk passengers.
  In closing, I'd like to thank Transportation Security Committee 
Chairman Mike Rogers and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter 
King for moving this legislation, and all of my colleagues in 
committee, particularly Ranking Member Bennie Thompson and Subcommittee 
Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee, for their support.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1801, and 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  First of all, I'd like to acknowledge the work of Chairman King and 
Ranking Member Thompson.
  As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I'm pleased that, 
for the first time in this 112th Congress, the House is considering 
important transportation security legislation. H.R. 1801, the Risk-
Based Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act, requires 
the Transportation Security Administration to develop a plan for 
providing expedited screening for our military personnel at airport 
security checkpoints.
  Since 2001, there have been more than 2 million troops that have been 
deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Last Congress an earlier version of 
this legislation was accepted as an amendment on a bipartisan basis, as 
my colleague mentioned earlier, during consideration of the 
Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act, which passed 
this House by 397 votes in the ``aye'' and 25 in the ``nay,'' but it 
was not acted upon by the Senate, unfortunately.

                              {time}  1640

  H.R. 1801 properly recognizes the preciousness of time to our 
patriotic men and women serving in our armed services without 
compromising aviation security. This legislation will ensure that our 
troops and their families, including 236,963 defense personnel in my 
own home State in California, are given the opportunity to board an 
aircraft in a security-approved, expedited manner.
  Our troops help keep our country safe. The least we can do is devise 
methods that help speed up the screening process for our troops that 
are in uniform and are traveling on airplanes while on official duty.
  As our military presence in Iraq winds down, it is important that we 
remain cognizant of the burdens that deployments and travel have on 
servicemembers and their families in times of war and peace.
  In addition to travel services, I support and urge this Congress, the 
administration, and the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen 
all military services and programs for our troops, including increasing 
veteran recruitment efforts.
  Some of the additional military support that this Congress should 
consider would be, one, providing tax credits for hiring veterans 
looking for work; two, strengthening much-needed training programs for 
separating servicemembers; three, encouraging businesses and government 
contractors to hire the brave men and women who have been deployed and 
have now returned with developed valuable skills and professionalism 
while in the Armed Forces; four, ensuring that the servicemembers leave 
the military career-ready.
  H.R. 1801 is one of many opportunities for the American public and 
this Congress to demonstrate their support to those who are serving 
bravely. Further, it is important to note that consideration of H.R. 
1801 marks the first time in this Congress that the House is 
considering a bill reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. I 
and other members of this committee look forward to this legislation 
not being our last.
  A number of commonsense homeland security bills are on the U.S. House 
of Representatives calendar and warrant timely consideration.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Farenthold).
  Mr. FARENTHOLD. I rise also in support of H.R. 1801.
  As we come off a holiday weekend, the busiest travel time in this 
country, many Americans have gone through the screening at our numerous 
airports. The TSA works hard screening everybody and keeping our 
flights safe, but we must always be looking for ways to make that 
system more efficient and safer. Members of our military whom we know 
have served and put their lives on the line for this country should be 
among those who are first in a program where we trust our travelers.
  We must continue to look for efficiencies to speed air travel. We 
must continue to look for fewer invasive ways to screen passengers. We 
must look for ways to make traveling a more pleasant experience and a 
more profitable experience for the businessmen and -women who travel.
  I urge support of this bill, which is where we should start--with 
members of our armed services; but there are other places we need to 
look, too--to trusted-traveler programs and flight crews receiving 
expedited screening. The TSA must continue to work to improve this 
process to make it safer and more efficient. This bill gives the TSA 
the encouragement that they need, and is a great step along the way to 
more efficient, private and better screening for our airport security.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. If the 
gentleman from Minnesota has no more speakers, I am prepared to close.
  Mr. CRAVAACK. I am prepared to close after the gentlewoman from 
California closes.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1801 is needed. It's common sense, and it's a piece of 
legislation with a history of bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues 
to support this measure and our troops.
  Their time is limited, and it certainly shouldn't be wasted in long 
lines at the airport. Airports all around the country have multiple 
checkpoints that expedite the security screening process, and our 
service personnel have earned this privilege as well.
  Likewise, I urge the Republican leadership to put on the House floor 
additional Homeland Security bills and bills aimed at easing our 
veterans' transition from military service to civilian careers. It's 
late November in the first session of this 112th Congress. It's coming 
to an end, the public is hurting, and Congress must act.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, on H.R. 1801 I urge my colleagues to 
unanimously

[[Page 18236]]

support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from 
California for her support on this very important bill and the shared 
importance, value, and trust we place in our military servicemembers.
  I urge support of H.R. 1801, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as the Ranking Member of the 
Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Transportation 
Security, I am pleased that, for the first time this Congress, the 
House is considering important transportation security legislation.
  In this budgetary climate, we must ensure that the Transportation 
Security Administration is maximizing its resources and adequately 
integrating efficient screening processes across its checkpoint 
security programs.
  This legislation strives to do that by ensuring that an expedited 
screening program is established for members of the Armed Forces.
  These are the men and women who sacrifice their time and family life 
to defend our liberty.
  Affording them the opportunity to be respectfully screened in an 
expedited manner will ensure that we continue to honor their service 
and what their commitment means to the American public.
  H.R. 1801 represents common-sense legislation with bipartisan 
support.
  I am happy that I was able to work with Mr. Rogers and others members 
of the Subcommittee and Full Committee on Homeland Security on this 
bill.
  I look forward to continuing our work on the Committee on Homeland 
Security and producing additional bipartisan measures that strive to 
enhance our nation's transportation security efforts.
  I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1801, as amended.
  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. CRAVAACK. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

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