Airport Alert: House Committee Advances TSA and UAS Related Bills
July 28, 2021
This morning the House Homeland Security Committee approved ten bills, including two related to TSA pay and security re-screening and one that prevents DHS from purchasing foreign-made unmanned aerial systems from China or other adversaries. Significant discussion and multiple amendments about TSA pay, benefits, and collective bargaining were offered during the markup. These bills will now advance to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
The following are bill highlights and details on amendments offered to these three bills :
H.R. 903, the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act of 2021 would apply the federal personnel system under Title 5 to TSA employees that screen passengers and property. This bill has been a longstanding priority for Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and other Democratic members on the Committee as a means to enhance TSA's security operations and provide the workforce with more stability. This year, twelve Republican members, including two on the Committee, are co-sponsoring this legislation. A similar bill passed the House of Representatives last year but was never considered by the Senate.
In his opening statement, Chair Thompson explained that "since the establishment of TSA, its workforce has been treated as second-class. Unlike almost all other Federal workers, the hard-working men and women of TSA do not receive the pay and workplace protections under Title 5. The negative effects on TSA are irrefutable. TSA suffers from low morale, high attrition, and injustice. Frontline TSOs are not only underpaid but lack the ability to build a career path. Further Federal workers at TSA lack the collective bargaining rights and whistleblower protections that their colleagues elsewhere in government have. My bill fixes this once for all by simply applying Title 5 to the TSA workforce."
Chair Thompson offered a substitute amendment to his original bill that would expedite the timeline to provide collective bargaining rights for TSA employees and the transition of Title 5. Thompson acknowledged concerns about the costs to change TSA's pay and benefits and pledged to actively work with the Biden administration and the Appropriations Committee to fully fund these needs. Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS) indicated that this bill would cost TSA an additional $2 billion per year.
House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) is also frustrated with the salaries for TSA's frontline workforce and believes funding for better pay should be in the administration's budget request; however, he expressed concern about H.R. 903 as drafted because it increases salaries for all TSA employees. Katko offered two amendments: one that would provide pay raises and COVID-related bonuses to Transportation Security Officers and Federal Air Marshals as well as pay TSA employees during a government shutdown and another that would limit Title 5 just to the frontline workforce. Chair Thompson and other Democrats opposed both amendments and they were rejected along party lines.
Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee Chair Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-NJ) successfully offered a substitute amendment that would provide TSA employees a COVID bonus and clarifies that Title 5 benefits are a floor, not a ceiling, and can be amended by the TSA Administrator.
H.R. 4094, the One-Stop Pilot Program Act of 2021 permits the Transportation Security Administration, in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to conduct a pilot program at foreign last point of departure airports to permit passengers and their accessible property to continue on additional flights or flight segments originating in the United States without additional security re-screening. This bill, originally introduced by Ranking Member Katko, was modified by an amendment from Chair Thompson who is also supportive of this pilot program.
AAAE wrote a letter in support of this pilot program, noting that "once international travel is allowed to fully resume, which AAAE and our airport members are eagerly awaiting and working to see implemented as quickly and safely as possible in concert with the federal government, the One-Stop Pilot Program will provide additional passenger facilitation solutions to make international travel more seamless and secure."
H.R. 4682, the Unmanned Aerial Security Act prohibits prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from operating, entering, or renewing procurement contracts for certain foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems. The Secretary may waive this prohibition after certifying to various Congressional Committees that this is in the national interest of the United States, is for counter UAS research, or is for warfare operations or training. This provision takes effect 120 days after the enactment of this Act.
The markup can be viewed on the House Homeland Security website.
This morning the House Homeland Security Committee approved ten bills, including two related to TSA pay and security re-screening and one that prevents DHS from purchasing foreign-made unmanned aerial systems from China or other adversaries. Significant discussion and multiple amendments about TSA pay, benefits, and collective bargaining were offered during the markup. These bills will now advance to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
The following are bill highlights and details on amendments offered to these three bills :
H.R. 903, the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act of 2021 would apply the federal personnel system under Title 5 to TSA employees that screen passengers and property. This bill has been a longstanding priority for Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and other Democratic members on the Committee as a means to enhance TSA's security operations and provide the workforce with more stability. This year, twelve Republican members, including two on the Committee, are co-sponsoring this legislation. A similar bill passed the House of Representatives last year but was never considered by the Senate.
In his opening statement, Chair Thompson explained that "since the establishment of TSA, its workforce has been treated as second-class. Unlike almost all other Federal workers, the hard-working men and women of TSA do not receive the pay and workplace protections under Title 5. The negative effects on TSA are irrefutable. TSA suffers from low morale, high attrition, and injustice. Frontline TSOs are not only underpaid but lack the ability to build a career path. Further Federal workers at TSA lack the collective bargaining rights and whistleblower protections that their colleagues elsewhere in government have. My bill fixes this once for all by simply applying Title 5 to the TSA workforce."
Chair Thompson offered a substitute amendment to his original bill that would expedite the timeline to provide collective bargaining rights for TSA employees and the transition of Title 5. Thompson acknowledged concerns about the costs to change TSA's pay and benefits and pledged to actively work with the Biden administration and the Appropriations Committee to fully fund these needs. Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS) indicated that this bill would cost TSA an additional $2 billion per year.
House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) is also frustrated with the salaries for TSA's frontline workforce and believes funding for better pay should be in the administration's budget request; however, he expressed concern about H.R. 903 as drafted because it increases salaries for all TSA employees. Katko offered two amendments: one that would provide pay raises and COVID-related bonuses to Transportation Security Officers and Federal Air Marshals as well as pay TSA employees during a government shutdown and another that would limit Title 5 just to the frontline workforce. Chair Thompson and other Democrats opposed both amendments and they were rejected along party lines.
Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee Chair Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-NJ) successfully offered a substitute amendment that would provide TSA employees a COVID bonus and clarifies that Title 5 benefits are a floor, not a ceiling, and can be amended by the TSA Administrator.
H.R. 4094, the One-Stop Pilot Program Act of 2021 permits the Transportation Security Administration, in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to conduct a pilot program at foreign last point of departure airports to permit passengers and their accessible property to continue on additional flights or flight segments originating in the United States without additional security re-screening. This bill, originally introduced by Ranking Member Katko, was modified by an amendment from Chair Thompson who is also supportive of this pilot program.
AAAE wrote a letter in support of this pilot program, noting that "once international travel is allowed to fully resume, which AAAE and our airport members are eagerly awaiting and working to see implemented as quickly and safely as possible in concert with the federal government, the One-Stop Pilot Program will provide additional passenger facilitation solutions to make international travel more seamless and secure."
H.R. 4682, the Unmanned Aerial Security Act prohibits prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from operating, entering, or renewing procurement contracts for certain foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems. The Secretary may waive this prohibition after certifying to various Congressional Committees that this is in the national interest of the United States, is for counter UAS research, or is for warfare operations or training. This provision takes effect 120 days after the enactment of this Act.
The markup can be viewed on the House Homeland Security website.
