House Passes Republican-led Bills to Enhance the DHS Intelligence Enterprise and Improve Security Screening Process

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday cleared four Republican-led bills aimed at improving the security screening process for travelers and enhancing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence apparatus: Rep. John Katko’s H.R. 3675, the Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2019, Rep. Debbie Lesko’s (R-Ariz.) H.R. 3694, the Helping Families Fly Act of 2019, Rep. Van Taylor’s (R-Texas) H.R. 3246, the Traveling Parents Screening Consistency Act, and Rep. Mark Green’s (R-Tenn.) H.R. 2589, the Unifying DHS Intelligence Enterprise Act.

“The Trusted Traveler Reconsideration and Restoration Act of 2019, the Helping Families Fly Act of 2019, and the Traveling Parents Screening Consistency Act each seek to advance the goal of streamlining the screening experience for travelers while maintaining necessary security protections,” Rogers said. “The Unifying DHS Intelligence Enterprise Act will establish a homeland intelligence doctrine, which will improve coordination across DHS. I thank Reps. Katko, Lesko, Taylor, and Green for taking the lead on these important bills.”

“Under current law, it is time-consuming and difficult for individuals to navigate multiple federal agencies and bureaucratic hurdles to get Trusted Traveler status reinstated if it has been erroneously revoked,” Katko said. “With my legislation, travelers will be able to more easily remedy these types of errors, and, once resolved, Trusted Traveler enrollees who have had their status wrongly suspended will be provided an extension equivalent to the length of the wrongful delay. My legislation will also work to prevent future errors by directing DHS to assess existing Trusted Traveler Program enrollment and redress procedures. I am proud to have received bipartisan support for this legislation and will continue my work to ensure traveler efficiency, safety, and security.”

“For pregnant women and families with young children, airport travel can be a stressful and time-consuming task,” said Lesko. “Thankfully, my bipartisan legislation will help make the airport experience for women and families quicker and easier while keeping our nation safe. I am grateful for my colleagues’ support today, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to quickly pass this bill so that we can help ease the burden on pregnant women and young families at our nation’s airports in time for the busy travel season.”

“After speaking with a constituent at my Community Coffee event, I was eager to provide certainty to parents when traveling with breast milk, baby formula, and nursing products,” said Taylor. “Despite established, clear procedures, families across the United States have faced unnecessary frustration and difficulties when flying.” He continued, “I applaud House passage of this commonsense legislation and thank Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, Ranking Member Rogers, Chairman Thompson, and Senator Martha McSally for their bipartisan support and efforts to help provide certainty to families traveling with children certainty regarding TSA regulations.”

“During my time as an Army special operations flight surgeon, I learned the value of streamlined intelligence on a mission,” said Green. “I am proud to sponsor this legislation unifying the Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence apparatus and enabling the Department to better carry out its mission to keep America safe.  At a time of heightened threats to our security at home and abroad, we must equip the men and women of DHS to easily and effectively do their jobs as they stand on the frontlines protecting our country, patrolling our border, and enforcing our laws.”

 

###