TSA Administrator Modernization Act of 2017

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1309) to streamline the office and term of the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House to support H.R. 1309, the TSA Administrator Modernization Act of 2017.

TSA was created within the Department of Transportation in 2001 to address the security vulnerabilities that were exposed in the attacks of 9/11. At that time, the administrator was given a 5-year term. However, when TSA and its functions transferred to the Department of Homeland Security a year later, the 5-year term officially terminated by statute.

Many of the issues and bureaucratic challenges that TSA faces today stem from a lack of consistent leadership at the top. Since I came to Congress in January 2015, TSA has had no less than five different individual administrators, both as appointees and as acting administrators. This is a staggering number in such a brief period of time.

A revolving door of leadership has further exacerbated the numerous problems that plague this young agency. It is unacceptable that this has gone on for more than a decade. The American people deserve better, and that is why we are here today with this bill.

This bill addresses these issues by reestablishing the administrator's position, level, and 5-year term, just as Congress originally intended when it created TSA in the wake of 9/11. Additionally, this bill updates Federal statute to reflect current policy by clarifying TSA's proper role within the Department of Homeland Security.

While this is only one step in addressing the many challenges at TSA, this legislation will provide for more consistent leadership at such a critical security agency.

Ensuring the effectiveness of Federal agencies and the security of the American people is a bipartisan task, and one of which I am happy to be part of. I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for coming together to support this bill. This is exactly what the American people expect from us.

I especially want to thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson for moving this bill swiftly through committee to the floor today. I also thank Congresswoman Rice, who is supporting this bill as well.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of

Representatives,

Washington, DC, March 13, 2017.

Hon. Michael T. McCaul,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: I write concerning H.R. 1309, the

``TSA Administrator Modernization Act of 2017.'' This

legislation includes matters that fall within the Rule X

jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure.

In order to expedite Floor consideration of H.R. 1309, the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo

action on this bill. However, this is conditional on our

mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill

does not prejudice the Committee with respect to the

appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional

claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or

similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X

jurisdiction. I request you urge the Speaker to name members

of the Committee to any conference committee named to

consider such provisions.

Please place a copy of this letter and your response

acknowledging our jurisdictional interest in the

Congressional Record during House Floor consideration of the

bill. I look forward to working with the Committee on

Homeland Security as the bill moves through the legislative

process.

Sincerely,

Bill Shuster,

Chairman.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I want to recognize Congresswoman Rice's comments. I thought they were excellent, and not just because they were nice for me.

Her comments about Admiral Neffenger, in particular, were very poignant because he was doing a great job at TSA and he was only there 2

years. What he did in 2 years really made a big difference in the trajectory of that agency. Much like other Federal agencies that are empowered to do very important things, like the FBI who has a long-term tenure, I think the same thing needs to be done here.

Admiral Neffenger and people like him should be in control of the agency for extended periods of time because then, and only then, can we make the true changes that we are going to need.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 1309, the TSA Administrator Modernization Act of 2017.

When the Transportation Security Administration was created after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress intended for the administrator to serve a 5-year term, like the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

However, since TSA moved from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, there has been a lack of clarity about the length of the administrator's term. The measure before us today clarifies Congress' expectation that TSA administrators serve for 5 years.

In TSA's short history, it has had six Senate-confirmed administrators. None has served more than 4 years. The last TSA administrator, Peter Neffenger, served just 2 years.

Stability at the top is critically important as we push TSA to improve its performance and address ongoing challenges.

For example, after recent covert testing carried out by the Department's inspector general revealed alarming weaknesses in checkpoint screening operations, Administrator Neffenger focused TSA's attention on addressing its detection rate failures, improving training, and reducing vulnerabilities associated with commercial aviation screening. At the same time, Administrator Neffenger worked with Congress to increase TSA staffing levels in response to long wait times at security checkpoints during the peak travel season last summer. Under his leadership, TSA successfully reduced wait times that had reached as long as 3 hours at some airplanes, without compromising the effectiveness of security measures. And while confronting those urgent short-term challenges, Administrator Neffenger was also focused on addressing TSA's longer-term challenges related to employee recruitment, retention, and morale.

I regret, as I know my colleague, Mr. Katko, does, that Administrator Neffenger did not have the opportunity to stay on and continue making progress within the administration. But I think we can all agree that TSA needs steady leadership in order to continue to evolve and fulfill its mission to protect the traveling public.

We can help ensure that TSA will have that stability and sustained focus at the top by passing this bill today.

I thank my colleague from New York, Representative Katko, for introducing this bipartisan legislation, and I urge all of our colleagues to give it their full support.

Madam Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 1309. This bill was unanimously approved by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month.

Enacting H.R. 1309 will provide TSA with stable, sustained leadership the administration needs to chart a more consistent course and overcome its longstanding challenges.

I would also like to commend my colleague, Mr. Katko, who has been absolutely dogged in his support of TSA and ensuring that it has the support and the resources that it needs. I thank him for his work on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.