WTAS: Key Industry Groups Show Support for Katko & Murphy One-Stop Security Bill

WASHINGTON, DC— Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) have proposed an innovative solution to raise global air travel security standards, while increasing efficiency for air passengers traveling to and within the United States.

The One-Stop Security Pilot (H.R. 4094) would allow the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to run a three-year pilot program at 10 airports in which a traveler and their carry-on baggage would not need to be re-screened upon arrival in the United States for their domestic connecting flight, if the last point of departure airport has a commensurate level of screening to the United States.

For example, on a Heathrow to Orlando to Phoenix flight itinerary, the traveler and their carry-on bag could board their connecting flight to Phoenix without going through the TSA checkpoint at Orlando because they had already been screened at Heathrow, their international last point of departure airport.

The bipartisan One-Stop Security Pilot is widely supported by industry stakeholders:

Airlines 4 America: “By permitting the TSA to pilot a new concept in a safe and controlled manner, it will be possible to demonstrate how such security enhancement programs may be permanently and broadly implemented. The bill is consistent with standards and recommended practices set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and puts the United States in a position to lead the international community on modern approaches to enhance aviation security…Safety and security are always the top priorities of A4A and our member airlines, and we are encouraged that this bill maintains the high aviation security standards for flights into and within the United States. Upon passage, we look forward to continued collaboration with the TSA on all One-Stop security efforts.”

American Association of Airport Executives: “We appreciate the necessary changes your legislation would make to permit this concept to be tested on a pilot basis. 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.”

Airports Council International: “Airports welcome the introduction of this important legislation to establish a pilot program at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that would allow passengers and their baggage departing from approved foreign airports to continue onto their connecting flights without having to go through additional security screening. This one-stop security pilot would create needed efficiencies by eliminating an unnecessary and burdensome rescreening process for passengers and baggage that were subject to a commensurate level of screening at their departing airport. It also would allow TSA to reallocate scarce resources to augment staffing at checkpoint and checked baggage screening locations.”

Bipartisan cosponsors include Reps. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL-7), Michael Guest (R-MS-3), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL-26), Clay Higgins (R-LA-3), David Joyce (R-OH-14), and Rodney Davis (R-IL-13).

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