[House Report 118-846]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
118th Congress } { Rept. 118-846
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { Part 1
======================================================================
VETERANS EXPEDITED TSA SCREENING SAFE TRAVEL ACT
_______
December 10, 2024.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Green of Tennessee, from the Committee on Homeland Security,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 7365]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 7365) to provide PreCheck to certain severely
injured or disabled veterans, and for other purposes, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 3
Hearings......................................................... 3
Committee Consideration.......................................... 4
Committee Votes.................................................. 4
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 4
Correspondence with Other Committees............................. 4
C.B.O. Estimate, New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and
Tax Expenditures............................................... 5
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 7
Duplicative Federal Programs..................................... 7
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 7
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 7
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 7
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 7
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 8
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 8
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe
Travel Act'' or the ``VETS Safe Travel Act''.
SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF PRECHECK PROGRAM TO CERTAIN SEVERELY INJURED OR
DISABLED VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Section 44927 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(g) Availability of PreCheck Program to Certain Severely Injured or
Disabled Veterans.--
``(1) In general.--A veteran described in paragraph (2) is
eligible for security screening under the PreCheck Program
under section 44919 at no cost to the veteran if the veteran is
able to meet the background check and other security
requirements for participation in the Program.
``(2) Veterans described.--A veteran described in this
paragraph is a veteran who--
``(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of
the Department of Veterans Affairs established and
operated under section 1705 of title 38, United States
Code;
``(B) has--
``(i) lost, or lost use of, a limb;
``(ii) become paralyzed or partially
paralyzed; or
``(iii) incurred permanent blindness; and
``(C) as a result of a loss, paralyzation or partial
paralyzation, or blindness described in subparagraph
(B), requires the use of a wheelchair, prosthetic limb,
or other assistive device to aid with mobility.
``(3) Limitation.--The Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall carry out this subsection subject
to the availability of appropriations and may not increase fees
for enrollment in the PreCheck Program for such purpose.''.
(b) Coordination on Implementation.--The Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall jointly--
(1) implement a process under which a veteran described in
paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of section 44927 of title 49,
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), can receive the
benefits under such subsection by not later than one year after
the date of enactment of this Act; and
(2) provide to Congress a briefing on the status of
implementing the process required by paragraph (1) by not later
than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Outreach for Disabled Veterans on Availability of Transportation
Security Administration Programs.--
(1) Coordination.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
shall implement a process under which the Secretary provides to
disabled veterans effective outreach regarding Transportation
Security Administration programs designed to improve the
screening process for passengers with disabilities.
(2) Further enhancements to ease air travel for wounded
warriors and other disabled veterans.--Notwithstanding
subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act''), or
any other provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
in coordination with the Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration, shall--
(A) engage appropriate veterans service organizations
and other relevant organizations, as appropriate, to
assess the awareness of veterans of relevant
Transportation Security Administration programs; and
(B) examine the need and feasibility of other
measures to improve travel security procedures for
disabled veterans.
(3) Briefing requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and the Administrator of Transportation Security
Administration shall jointly provide to Congress a briefing on
the status of the implementation of paragraphs (1) and (2).
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 7365, the ``Veterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS)
Safe Travel Act,'' would make the Transportation Security
Administration's (TSA) PreCheck Program available at no cost to
certain veterans who are able to meet the Program's background
check and other security requirements. Veterans would be
eligible for this benefit if they require a wheelchair,
prosthetic limb, or other mobility aid due to the loss, or loss
of use, of a limb, partial or full paralysis, or permanent
blindness. H.R. 7365 would also direct the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration and the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to work together to improve the airport
security experience for disabled veterans.
Background and Need for Legislation
The standard TSA passenger screening process requires
passengers to remove liquids and electronics larger than a cell
phone from their carry-on bags. Additionally, passengers going
through standard screening lanes must also take off shoes,
belts, and light jackets to be screened on the X-ray belt.
Passengers who are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck program go
through an expedited security process in which they are not
required to remove items from baggage and may keep their shoes,
belts, and light jackets on while passing through the screening
machine.
Because of the requirements to divest clothing,
electronics, and liquids, the standard TSA passenger screening
process presents unique challenges for disabled veterans,
especially those who rely on wheelchairs or other aids to
mobility. The process can be cumbersome for even able-bodied
travelers, and veterans' disabilities compound the issues
facing able-bodied travelers.
TSA's PreCheck Program could be utilized to help improve
veterans' experience at airports. By directing disabled
veterans to the PreCheck lanes, TSA could simplify the
experience for disabled veterans by minimizing the items they
need to separate from their luggage or articles of clothing
they need to remove before walking through the screening
machine.
Hearings
The Committee held the following hearings in the 118th
Congress that informed H.R. 7365:
On March 12, 2024, the Subcommittee on Transportation and
Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security held a
hearing entitled ``Organizational Oversight: Examining TSA's
Post-Modernization Efforts.'' The Committee received testimony
from the following witnesses: Ms. Julie Scanlon, Executive
Assistant Administrator for Enterprise Support, Transportation
Security Administration; Mr. Brian C. Belcher, Executive
Assistant Administrator and Director of Law Enforcement and the
Federal Air Marshal Service, Transportation Security
Administration; Ms. Stacey Fitzmaurice, Executive Assistant
Administrator for Operations Support, Transportation Security
Agency; and Mr. Steve Lorincz, Deputy Executive Assistant
Administrator for Security Operations, Transportation Security
Administration.
On May 15, 2024, the Subcommittee on Transportation and
Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security held a
hearing entitled ``An Examination of the Transportation
Security Administration's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget.'' The
Committee received testimony from the Honorable David Pekoske,
Administrator, Transportation Security Administration.
Committee Consideration
The Committee met on September 25, 2024, a quorum being
present, to consider H.R. 7365 and ordered the measure, as
amended, to be favorably reported to the House by voice vote.
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the
recorded votes on the motion to report legislation and
amendments thereto.
No recorded votes were requested during consideration of
H.R. 7365.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII, the
Committee advises that the findings and recommendations of the
Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1)
of rule X, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this
report.
Correspondence With Other Committees
House of Representatives,
Committee on Veterans Affairs',
Washington, DC, December 6, 2024.
Hon. Mark Green,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Green: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
7365, the ``Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act''
or the ``VETS Safe Travel Act.'' As you know, there are
provisions in the legislation that fall within the jurisdiction
of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed
expeditiously to floor consideration of this legislation, I am
willing to waive this committee's consideration of the bill. I
do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of
the bill, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs does not waive any
future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained
in the bill that fall within its jurisdiction. I also request
that you urge the Speaker to name members of this committee to
any conference committee that may be established to consider
such provisions.
Please place this letter into the committee report on
H.R.7365 and into the Congressional Record during consideration
of this legislation on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Mike Bost,
Chairman.
----------
House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, December 6, 2024.
Hon. Mike Bost,
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Bost: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 7365, the ``VETS Safe Travel Act,'' of which the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs received an additional referral. I
appreciate your support in bringing this legislation before the
House of Representatives, and that the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs will forego further consideration of the bill.
The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of this bill at
this time, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs does not waive
jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this
legislation in the future. In addition, should a conference on
this bill be necessary, I would support your request to have
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs represented on the
conference committee.
I will include our letters on H.R. 7365 in the Committee
report on this measure and in the Congressional Record during
floor consideration of this bill. I look forward to working
with you on this legislation and appreciate your cooperation on
this matter.
Sincerely,
Mark E. Green, MD,
Chairman.
Congressional Budget Office Estimate, New Budget Authority, Entitlement
Authority, and Tax Expenditures
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule
XIII and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, and with respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(3) of
rule XIII and section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee adopts as its own the estimate of any new
budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an
increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures contained
in the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office.
H.R. 7365 would waive the fee for severely disabled
veterans, as defined in the bill, who wish to enroll in the
PreCheck program operated by the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA). PreCheck expedites the security screening
process for commercial airline travelers and must be renewed
every five years. Eligible veterans would need to satisfy the
applicable security requirements for participating in PreCheck,
including a background check.
About 20 million people (or 7 percent of the adult
population) are enrolled in PreCheck. The fee ranges from $78
to $85 for new enrollees and from $69 to $78 for renewals,
depending on how the traveler applies for PreCheck. Those
amounts cover the cost of the background check. Using
information from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), CBO
estimates that about 325,000 veterans would meet the
qualifications for the fee waiver.
CBO expects that some of those veterans would take
advantage of the fee waiver to enroll in PreCheck for the first
time and that eligible veterans who already have PreCheck
benefits would reenroll using the waiver sometime over the next
five years. CBO has no specific data on disabled veterans
enrolled in PreCheck, but we assume that disabled veterans
enroll at the same rate as the general population. On that
basis, CBO estimates that around 7 percent of disabled veterans
(or about 24,000 veterans) are already enrolled in the program
and would reenroll at no cost over the next five years.
Waiving the fee for eligible veterans would provide an
incentive for veterans who do not currently use PreCheck to
enroll in the program; however, those veterans would still need
to complete various administrative requirements, which could
limit their enrollment. Accordingly, CBO estimates that the
number of eligible veterans enrolled in PreCheck would double
over the next five years, resulting in 24,000 new enrollees.
Because veterans receiving fee waivers would still need to
undergo background checks, TSA's net cost for the background
checks would increase. Based on the estimated fees and the
number of veterans receiving fee waivers, CBO estimates that
implementing the bill would cost about $4 million over the
2025-2029 period. Those costs could be higher or lower than CBO
estimates depending on the number of eligible veterans who
ultimately apply for PreCheck.
In addition, the bill would codify TSA's efforts to conduct
outreach to disabled veterans and require TSA and VA to report
to the Congress. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO
estimates that those requirements would cost less than $500,000
over the 2025-2029 period.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall
within budget functions 400 (transportation) and 700 (veterans
benefits and services). Any spending would be subject to the
availability of appropriated funds.
TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER H.R. 7365
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
--------------------------------------------------
2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2025-2029
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Authorization...................................... 2 1 1 * * 4
Estimated Outlays............................................ 2 1 1 * * 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* = between zero and $500,000.
On July 25, 2024, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R.
8645, the Improved Screening for Veterans and Passengers with
Disabilities Act, as ordered reported by the House Committee on
Homeland Security on June 12, 2024. The two bills are similar,
and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Emma Uebelhor.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Federal Mandates Statement
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act of 1995.
Duplicative Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c) of rule XIII, the Committee finds
that H.R. 7365 does not contain any provision that establishes
or reauthorizes a program known to be duplicative of another
Federal program.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the objective of
H.R. 7365 is to improve the U.S. airport security experience
for disabled veterans.
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits
In compliance with rule XXI, this bill, as reported,
contains no congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or
limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or
9(f) of rule XXI.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
Applicability to the Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that H.R. 7365 does not relate to the
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of
the Congressional Accountability Act.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Short title
This sections states that this Act may be cited as the
``Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act'' or the
``VETS Safe Travel Act.''
Section 2. Availability of PreCheck program to certain severely injured
or disabled veterans
This section amends Section 44927 of 49 USC to make
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck screening
available to certain disabled veterans at no cost, subject to
background check and other program security requirements. The
section defines eligible veterans as a veteran who is: enrolled
in the Department of Veterans Affairs patient enrollment system
operating under Section 1705 of 38 USC; has lost or lost the
use of a limb, become partially or fully paralyzed, or became
permanently blind; and require the use of a wheelchair,
prosthetic limb, or other mobility assistance device as a
result. The section directs the Administrator of the TSA (TSA
Administrator) to carry out this program subject to the
availability of appropriations and without increasing the
enrollment fee for the PreCheck program.
This section directs the TSA Administrator and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to work together to implement the
bill no later than one year after the bill's enactment. The TSA
Administrator and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs are also
required to provide a briefing to Congress no later than one
year after the bill's enactment regarding the bill's
implementation.
This section directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and
the TSA Administrator to coordinate outreach to individual
veterans and veteran organizations with the goal of improving
the airport security screening process for disabled veterans,
as well as to provide Congress a briefing no later than one
year after the bill's enactment regarding this outreach.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is
printed in italics and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
TITLE 49, UNITED STATES CODE
* * * * * * *
SUBTITLE VII--AVIATION PROGRAMS
* * * * * * *
PART A--AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY
* * * * * * *
SUBPART iii--SAFETY
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER 449--SECURITY
* * * * * * *
SUBCHAPTER I--REQUIREMENTS
* * * * * * *
Sec. 44927. Expedited screening for severely injured or disabled
members of the Armed Forces and severely injured or
disabled veterans
(a) Passenger Screening.--The Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
and organizations identified by the Secretaries of Defense and
Veterans Affairs that advocate on behalf of severely injured or
disabled members of the Armed Forces and severely injured or
disabled veterans, shall develop and implement a process to
support and facilitate the ease of travel and to the extent
possible provide expedited passenger screening services for
severely injured or disabled members of the Armed Forces and
severely injured or disabled veterans through passenger
screening. The process shall be designed to offer the
individual private screening to the maximum extent practicable.
(b) Operations Center.--As part of the process under
subsection (a), the Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall maintain an operations center to
provide support and facilitate the movement of severely injured
or disabled members of the Armed Forces and severely injured or
disabled veterans through passenger screening prior to boarding
a passenger aircraft operated by an air carrier or foreign air
carrier in air transportation or intrastate air transportation.
(c) Protocols.--The Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall--
(1) establish and publish protocols, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, and the organizations identified
under subsection (a), under which a severely injured or
disabled member of the Armed Forces or severely injured
or disabled veteran, or the family member or other
representative of such member or veteran, may contact
the operations center maintained under subsection (b)
and request the expedited passenger screening services
described in subsection (a) for that member or veteran;
and
(2) upon receipt of a request under paragraph (1),
require the operations center to notify the appropriate
Federal Security Director of the request for expedited
passenger screening services, as described in
subsection (a), for that member or veteran.
(d) Training.--The Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall integrate training on the
protocols established under subsection (c) into the training
provided to all employees who will regularly provide the
passenger screening services described in subsection (a).
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall
affect the authority of the Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration to require additional screening of a
severely injured or disabled member of the Armed Forces, a
severely injured or disabled veteran, or their accompanying
family members or nonmedical attendants, if intelligence, law
enforcement, or other information indicates that additional
screening is necessary.
(f) Reports.--Each year, the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration shall submit to Congress
a report on the implementation of this section. Each report
shall include each of the following:
(1) Information on the training provided under
subsection (d).
(2) Information on the consultations between the
Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration and the organizations identified under
subsection (a).
(3) The number of people who accessed the operations
center during the period covered by the report.
(4) Such other information as the Administrator of
the Transportation Security Administration determines
is appropriate.
(g) Availability of Precheck Program to Certain Severely
Injured or Disabled Veterans.--
(1) In general.--A veteran described in paragraph (2)
is eligible for security screening under the PreCheck
Program under section 44919 at no cost to the veteran
if the veteran is able to meet the background check and
other security requirements for participation in the
Program.
(2) Veterans described.--A veteran described in this
paragraph is a veteran who--
(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment
system of the Department of Veterans Affairs
established and operated under section 1705 of
title 38, United States Code;
(B) has--
(i) lost, or lost use of, a limb;
(ii) become paralyzed or partially
paralyzed; or
(iii) incurred permanent blindness;
and
(C) as a result of a loss, paralyzation or
partial paralyzation, or blindness described in
subparagraph (B), requires the use of a
wheelchair, prosthetic limb, or other assistive
device to aid with mobility.
(3) Limitation.--The Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration shall carry out
this subsection subject to the availability of
appropriations and may not increase fees for enrollment
in the PreCheck Program for such purpose.
* * * * * * *