H.R. 473 – Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 9:35 PM UTC

The Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021 directs a review of the Department of Homeland Security’s trusted traveler programs and adds a remedy for people whose enrollment was mistakenly revoked. It aims to improve data tracking, coordination with other agencies, and public information about how to seek reconsideration. The bill affects travelers enrolled in programs like Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, and others, as well as the DHS agencies that manage those programs.

Key Provisions

The Comptroller General must complete a review within one year of the law’s enactment, examining how DHS tracks data, coordinates redress with other government entities, improves access to reconsideration procedures, and informs travelers about those procedures.
If an individual’s enrollment in a trusted traveler program was revoked in error, the Secretary of Homeland Security must extend the person’s active enrollment period by the length of time the enrollment was revoked, once the person re‑enrolls.

Legislative Activity

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12 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 637.

December 13, 2022

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 25, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

January 25, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security.

Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee

January 26, 2021

HouseFloor

Mr. Torres (NY) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

April 19, 2021 • 2:36 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1898-1899)

April 19, 2021 • 2:37 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 473.

April 19, 2021 • 2:37 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1898-1899)

April 19, 2021 • 2:42 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1898-1899)

April 19, 2021 • 2:42 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

April 19, 2021 • 2:42 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

April 20, 2021

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

July 14, 2021

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 117-253.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

December 13, 2022

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 637.

December 13, 2022

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 473 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats

Rep. Ritchie TorresD-NY-15 · Apr 19, 2021

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 473) to require a review of Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler programs, and for other purposes. Madam Speaker, I ask…

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 473) to require a review of Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler programs, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 473, the Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021.

Before the pandemic, millions of travelers participated in DHS' trusted traveler programs, like TSA's PreCheck and CBP's Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST programs, to get them where they need to go a little faster.

These are win-win programs where DHS moves vetted goods and people in an expeditious manner, thereby freeing up screening resources to focus on higher-risk travelers.

Given the benefits of these programs, it is troubling to hear about people being unable to enroll in one of these programs, despite meeting all of the security requirements needed to participate.

We all have an interest in ensuring that the vetting for these programs is thorough and, where there are identifying matching errors or other issues that may result in a qualified applicant being wrongly rejected, the issues get addressed in a timely way.

To ensure these programs are operating effectively and consistently, H.R. 473 directs the Government Accountability Office to review DHS' trusted traveler programs. The GAO's study will provide important insight into the Department's identity matching process and the redress options available to those who are improperly rejected.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security's trusted traveler programs are important tools in the Department's toolbox to screen people efficiently and concentrate its resources on high-risk travelers.

It is critical that the Department's processes to vet enrollees be fair, consistent, and based on accurate information. The GAO assessment directed by this bill will help drive DHS to work towards those ends.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Katko) for introducing this bill. I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Andrew R. GarbarinoR-NY-2 · Apr 19, 2021

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 473, the Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021. This bill,…

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 473, the Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021.

This bill, sponsored by Ranking Member John Katko and cosponsored by Chairwomen Watson Coleman and Slotkin, seeks to ensure the rights of travelers who have erroneously had their trusted traveler status revoked.

From the CBP's Global Entry and NEXUS to TSA's PreCheck programs, the Department of Homeland Security's trusted traveler programs are critical to the safe and secure free movement of people. However, there are instances in which individuals are mistaken for people with the same or similar name or who otherwise find themselves in a position where they lose their trusted traveler status based on a database error.

For those unfortunate persons, the process of getting their trusted traveler status reinstated by DHS involves timely, cumbersome, and confusing bureaucratic hurdles, often among several Federal agencies. In these instances, travelers lose valuable time off of their trusted traveler enrollment period, even though they spent hard-earned money to apply.

H.R. 473 seeks to bring relief to the traveling public who are in need of having their trusted traveler status reinstated. The bill requires a comprehensive review by the Government Accountability Office on the existing DHS processes related to trusted traveler programs and how the Department can improve individuals' access to having their trusted traveler status reinstated when it has been revoked in error.

Additionally, H.R. 473 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to extend an individual's enrollment in a trusted traveler program by a period commensurate with the amount of time they lost in their enrollment due to an error.

I thank Ranking Member Katko for his leadership on this bipartisan bill, and I thank Chairman Thompson for his commitment to bringing it to the floor today.

Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, I urge Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18 · Apr 19, 2021

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 473, the ``Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021,'' which directs the Government Accountability Office to review Department of Homeland…

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued December 13, 2022

II

Calendar No. 637

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 473

[Report No. 117–253]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 20, 2021

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

December 13, 2022

Reported by Mr. Peters, without amendment

AN ACT

To require a review of Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2021.

2.

Comptroller General review

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler programs. Such review shall examine the following:

(1)

The extent to which the Department of Homeland Security tracks data and monitors trends related to trusted traveler programs, including root causes for identity-matching errors resulting in an individual’s enrollment in a trusted traveler program being reinstated.

(2)

Whether the Department coordinates with the heads of other relevant Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial entities regarding redress procedures for disqualifying offenses not covered by the Department’s own redress processes but which offenses impact an individual’s enrollment in a trusted traveler program.

(3)

How the Department may improve individuals’ access to reconsideration procedures regarding a disqualifying offense for enrollment in a trusted traveler program that requires the involvement of any other Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial entity.

(4)

The extent to which travelers are informed about reconsideration procedures regarding enrollment in a trusted traveler program.

3.

Enrollment redress

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, with respect to an individual whose enrollment in a trusted traveler program was revoked in error extend by an amount of time equal to the period of revocation the period of active enrollment in such a program upon re-enrollment in such a program by such an individual.

December 13, 2022

Reported without amendment