Action Alert: Urge Your Senators to Oppose Legislation Limiting Facial Recognition Technology at Checkpoints
July 28, 2025
On Wednesday, July 30, the Senate Commerce Committee is scheduled to consider troubling bipartisan legislation – S.1691, the Traveler Privacy Protection Act – that would limit the TSA’s use of facial recognition technology at security checkpoints, including the use of Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) and the agency’s touchless identity solution. The legislation, which is sponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Kennedy (R-LA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Steve Daines (R-MT), has raised concerns with AAAE and our industry partners regarding diminished security effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation at screening checkpoints.
Today, AAAE, along with A4A, ACI-NA, and the U.S. Travel Association, sent a letter to the Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) asking that they delay consideration of this bill and work with airports, airlines, technology providers, and the travel industry on this topic. We urge you to contact your Senators, particularly those on the Senate Commerce Committee, to express opposition to the measure and ask that they delay consideration. Talking points for your use follow.
Background:
As of mid-July, 2,162 CAT-2 systems have been deployed to 263 airports. The CAT-2 systems capture a real-time photo of the traveler, scan the passenger’s ID, verify that the passenger matches the ID, and confirm the passenger’s flight and screening status. Once the CAT-2 confirms the match, the traveler can proceed to security screening without presenting a boarding pass. Currently, travelers can opt out of this process without losing their place in the security line. TSA does not retain the information captured by the CAT-2 machines and has extensive privacy protections in place for passengers.
Last year, Senators Merkley and Kennedy tried to attach similar legislation to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which AAAE, airports, airlines, and TSA successfully opposed. At that time, we raised concerns that the legislation would weaken aviation security and could increase passenger wait times. Those same concerns apply to the current version of the legislation and proposed amendments to S. 1691.
Talking Points:
Please contact your Senators, particularly those on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and urge them to oppose legislation being considered at the Commerce Committee business meeting that would limit the use of biometric technology at screening checkpoints.
- Please delay consideration of S. 1691 so that we can better understand the impact this legislation would have on national security, airport operations, and the overall travel experience.
- The bill that will be considered on Wednesday restricts the use of facial recognition systems at airport checkpoints, including automated identity verification technology that has proven to be more effective at identifying fraudulent documents compared to manual ID checks.
- Other agencies are using this technology with great success. Since 2018, CBP’s facial biometric system has identified over 2,200 impostors who might have been missed through a manual check, preventing their entry into the U.S.
- In addition to enhancing security, this technology expedites the checkpoint screening process because travelers do not have to present their boarding pass or physical ID to a TSA agent.
- This bill would stymie planned innovations at the checkpoint, such as the use of e-gates or TSA’s PreCheck Touchless ID, to handle anticipated passenger volumes with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America’s 250th anniversary celebration, or the 2028 Summer Olympics.
- A wider adoption of biometric technology at security checkpoints, with appropriate safeguards, is one way that airports, airlines, and the federal government can more seamlessly handle expected passenger growth while enhancing security.
- Delaying consideration of this legislation would afford airports time to provide the Committee with more detailed and thoughtful feedback.
