[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50663-50665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23770]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Revision of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB 
Review: TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) has forwarded the Information Collection Request 
(ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0059, 
abstracted below to OMB for review and approval of a revision of the 
currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). 
The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its 
expected burden. TSA published a Federal Register notice, with a 60-day 
comment period soliciting comments, of the following collection of 
information on May 4, 2017. The collection involves the submission of 
biographic and biometric information by individuals seeking to enroll 
in the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program, as well as an 
optional customer satisfaction survey.

DATES: Send your comments by December 1, 2017. A comment to OMB is most 
effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB. Comments should be addressed to Desk Officer, 
Department of Homeland Security/TSA, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina A. Walsh, TSA PRA Officer, 
Office of Information Technology (OIT), TSA-11, Transportation Security 
Administration, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 20598-6011; 
telephone (571) 227-2062; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is 
not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it 
displays a valid OMB control number. The ICR documentation will be 
available at http://www.reginfo.gov upon its submission to OMB. 
Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and approval of the following 
information collection, TSA is soliciting comments to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    Consistent with the requirements of Executive Order (EO) 13771, 
Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs, and EO 13777, 
Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda, TSA is also requesting comments 
on the extent to which this request for information could be modified 
to reduce the burden on respondents.

Information Collection Requirement

    Title: TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program.
    Type of Request: Revision of currently approved collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1652-0059.
    Form(s): NA.
    Affected Public: Air Travelers.
    Abstract: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 
implemented the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program pursuant to 
its authority under sec. 109(a)(3) of the Aviation and Transportation 
Security Act (ATSA), Public Law 107-71 (115 Stat. 597, 613, Nov. 19, 
2001, codified at 49 U.S.C. 114 note), which authorizes TSA to 
establish registered traveler programs, as well as section 540 of the 
DHS Appropriations Act, 2006, Public Law 109-90 (119 Stat. 2064, 2088-
89, Oct. 18, 2005), which requires TSA to collect a fee for any 
registered traveler program by publication of a notice in the Federal 
Register.
    The TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program enhances aviation 
security by

[[Page 50664]]

permitting TSA to better focus its limited security resources on 
passengers who are more likely to pose a threat to civil aviation, 
while also facilitating and improving the commercial aviation travel 
experience for the public. Travelers who choose not to enroll in this 
initiative are not subject to any limitations on their travel because 
of their choice; they will be processed through normal TSA screening 
before entering the sterile areas of airports. TSA also retains the 
authority to perform standard or other screening on a random basis on 
TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program participants and any other 
travelers authorized to receive expedited physical screening.
    Under the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program, individuals 
submit biographic (including, but not limited to, name, date of birth, 
gender, prior and current addresses, contact information, country of 
birth, images of identity documents, proof of citizenship/immigration 
status) and biometric (such as fingerprints, iris scans, or facial 
images) information to TSA's enrollment contractor. The enrollment 
contractor transmits this data via secure interface to TSA, which uses 
the information to conduct a security threat assessment (STA) based on 
checks of law enforcement, citizenship/immigration, regulatory 
violation, and intelligence databases, including a criminal history 
records check. TSA also uses the information submitted for identity 
verification during enrollment. The results are used by TSA to 
determine whether an individual poses a low risk to transportation or 
national security justifying eligibility for TSA Pre[check][supreg].
    TSA makes the final determination on eligibility for the TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] Application Program and notifies the applicant of 
the decision. On average, applicants receive notification from TSA 
within two to three weeks of the submission of their completed 
applications. Approved applicants are issued a Known Traveler Number 
(KTN) that is used for multiple purposes. Airline passengers who submit 
their KTN when making airline reservations may be eligible for 
expedited screening on flights originating from U.S. airports with TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] lanes.\1\ TSA uses the traveler's KTN and other 
information during passenger pre-screening to verify that the 
individual traveling matches the information on TSA's list of known 
travelers and to confirm TSA Pre[check][supreg] expedited screening 
eligibility. TSA will also use the information collected, or verify the 
KTN and KTN-holder information, to determine a KTN holder's eligibility 
for other programs, such as potential eligibility for a reduced fee for 
another vetting program or participation in other DHS Trusted Traveler 
programs. TSA also will use the information submitted for identity 
verification at airport security checkpoints.
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    \1\ Passengers who are eligible for expedited screening through 
a dedicated TSA Pre[check][supreg] lane typically will receive more 
limited physical screening, e.g., will be able to leave on their 
shoes, light outerwear, and belt, to keep their laptop in its case, 
and to keep their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on. 
For airports with TSA Pre[check][supreg] lanes, see https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/map.
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    Eligibility for the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program is 
within the sole discretion of TSA, which provides written notification 
to applicants denied eligibility, including reasons for the denial. 
Applicants initially deemed ineligible have an opportunity to correct 
cases of misidentification or inaccurate criminal or citizenship/
immigration records. For example, if advised during the application 
eligibility review process that the criminal record discloses a 
disqualifying criminal offense, the applicant has 60 days from the date 
of the denial letter to submit written notification of an intent to 
correct any information he or she believes to be inaccurate. The 
applicant must also provide a certified, revised record, or the 
appropriate court must forward a certified true copy of the 
information. TSA will review any information submitted and make a final 
decision. If neither notification nor a corrected record is received by 
TSA, the agency may make a final determination to deny eligibility. 
Individuals ineligible for the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application 
Program are screened at airport security checkpoints pursuant to 
standard screening protocols.
    TSA invites all TSA Pre[check][supreg] applicants to complete an 
optional survey to gather information on the applicants' overall 
customer satisfaction with the service received at the enrollment 
center. The optional survey is administered at the end of the 
enrollment service. TSA will use the information to determine whether 
any trends exist regarding customer service at a particular enrollment 
center, for potential customer utility and potential frequency of KTN 
usage for the overall program or particular application enrollment 
activity, and to take steps to improve service.
    In June and July 2017, TSA launched a proof of concept initiative 
at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Denver 
International Airport to determine whether fingerprints from TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] Application Program applicants, who volunteered to 
participate in the proof of concept, could be used for identity 
verification at airport security checkpoints. TSA is using the 
operational throughput information from this proof of concept to 
determine how to implement optimally the use of biometrics collected 
during enrollment (fingerprints, iris, and/or facial image) for 
identity verification at airport checkpoints. TSA intends to continue 
to expand on the use of biometrics for identity verification at the 
time of travel.
    TSA is seeking a revision to the currently approved request to 
allow for the collection of additional biometrics, particularly facial 
images but may include other biometrics such as iris, from TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] Application Program applicants. Currently, TSA 
collects fingerprints from these applicants, which are used for, among 
other things, criminal history records checks. The regular collection 
of biometrics, such as facial images, will provide TSA with the ability 
to use those biometrics for identity verification at TSA checkpoints, 
potentially eliminating the need to show identity documents and 
improving both security and the customer experience.
    In addition, the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program will 
begin accepting renewals in December 2018 for individuals whose five-
year eligibility is expiring. To reduce applicant burden, TSA will 
allow most existing Program applicants to complete their renewal online 
rather than requiring the applicant to appear in person at an 
enrollment center. Certain individuals (e.g., applicants who have 
changed their name, applicants with low quality fingerprints, etc.) 
will receive notification during the online renewal process that they 
are required to conduct in-person re-enrollment, and other applicants 
may wish to renew their enrollment in-person. TSA will continue to 
store biographic and biometric data submitted during initial 
enrollment, as described above, plus any new data collected when 
individuals apply for renewal, and will utilize these data to conduct a 
new STA.
    Average Annual Number of Respondents: An estimated 2,503,105 
annualized respondent-enrollments over a three-year period.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: An estimated 4,150,473 annualized 
hours based on a three-year projection.\2\ This estimate includes the 
time for pre-enrollment, all aspects of enrollment (including a 
voluntary customer

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satisfaction survey), and correction of records if needed.
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    \2\ TSA updated the annual estimates for the respondents and 
burden hours since the submission of the 60-day notice, which 
indicated respondents of 2,497,903 and burden hours of 4,717,413.
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    Estimated Cost Burden: A $231,537,857 annualized cost burden based 
on a three-year projection.\3\ The TSA fee per respondent for those who 
apply for the program directly with TSA will remain $85, which covers 
TSA's program costs and the FBI fee for the criminal history records 
check.
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    \3\ The cost burden in the 60-day Notice was incorrectly based 
on the hourly cost accounting for applicants' lost wages. The 30-day 
Notice corrects this to show the cost burden based instead on the 
application fee, post-enrollment biometric submission fee, and cost 
burden for corrections of record.

    Dated: October 27, 2017.
Christina Walsh,
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2017-23770 Filed 10-31-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P