[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78895-78897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30639]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration

[Docket No. TSA-2014-0001]
RIN 1652-ZA19


TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program; Expansion of 
Enrollment Options

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently 
announced its intent to expand enrollment options for the TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] Application Program. The purpose of this Notice is 
to solicit comments from the traveling public concerning their overall 
views on the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program and on TSA 
efforts to improve and/or expand enrollment.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the TSA docket number 
to this Notice, to the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS), a 
government-wide, electronic docket management system, using any one of 
the following methods:
    Electronically: You may submit comments through the Federal 
eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail, in Person, or Fax: Address, hand-deliver, or fax your written 
comments to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; fax (202) 493-2251. The 
Department of Transportation (DOT), which maintains and processes TSA's 
official regulatory dockets, will scan the submission and post it to 
FDMS. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for format and other information 
about comment submissions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Transportation Security 
Administration, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 20598-6014; email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#661215074b0003031526020e1548010910"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f5b5c4e02494a4a5c6f4b475c01484059">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    TSA invites interested persons to submit written comments, data, or 
views. See ADDRESSES above for information on where to submit comments.
    With each comment, please identify the docket number at the 
beginning of your comments. TSA encourages commenters to provide their 
names and addresses. You may submit comments and material 
electronically, in person, by mail, or fax as provided under ADDRESSES, 
but please submit your comments and material by only one means. If you 
submit comments by mail or delivery, submit them in an unbound format, 
no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing.
    If you would like TSA to acknowledge receipt of comments submitted 
by mail, include with your comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard 
on which the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the 
postcard and mail it to you.
    TSA will file all comments to our docket address, as well as items 
sent to the address or email under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, in 
the public docket, except for comments containing confidential 
information and sensitive security information (SSI). Should you wish 
your personally identifiable information redacted prior to filing in 
the docket, please so state. TSA will

[[Page 78896]]

consider all comments that are in the docket on or before the closing 
date for comments and will consider comments filed late to the extent 
practicable. The docket is available for public inspection before and 
after the comment closing date.

Reviewing Comments in the Docket

    Please be aware that anyone is able to search the electronic form 
of all comments in any of our dockets by the name of the individual who 
submitted the comment (or signed the comment, if an association, 
business, labor union, etc., submitted the comment). You may review the 
applicable Privacy Act Statement published in the Federal Register on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477) and modified on January 17, 2008 (73 FR 
3316).
    You may review TSA's electronic public docket on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov. In addition, DOT's Docket Management 
Facility provides a physical facility, staff, equipment, and assistance 
to the public. To obtain assistance or to review comments in TSA's 
public docket, you may visit this facility between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays, or call (202) 
366-9826. This docket operations facility is located in the West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140 at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

Availability of This Document

    You may obtain an electronic copy of this document using the 
Internet by--
    (1) Searching the electronic Federal Docket Management System 
(FDMS) Web page at http://www.regulations.gov;
    (2) Accessing the Government Printing Office's Web page at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=FR to view 
the daily published Federal Register edition; or accessing the ``Search 
the Federal Register by Citation'' in the ``Related Resources'' column 
on the left, if you need to do a Simple or Advanced search for 
information, such as a type of document that crosses multiple agencies 
or dates; or
    (3) Visiting TSA's Security Regulations Web page at http://www.tsa.gov and accessing the link for ``Stakeholders'' at the top of 
the page, then the link ``Research Center'' in the left column.
    In addition, copies are available by writing or calling the 
individual in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. Make sure to 
identify the docket number of this rulemaking.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received on or before 
January 30, 2015.

Discussion

    In December 2013, TSA introduced the TSA Pre[check][supreg] 
Application Program,\1\ a voluntary passenger prescreening initiative 
for low risk passengers who are eligible to receive expedited screening 
at participating U.S. airport security checkpoints.\2\ This Program 
permits any member of the public to apply directly to TSA for 
eligibility by providing biographic and biometric information that TSA 
uses to conduct a comprehensive security threat assessment.\3\ TSA 
issues a ``known traveler number'' to applicants who TSA deems a low 
risk to transportation security based on the results of the security 
threat assessment. As of December 5, 2014, 734,761 individuals have 
enrolled with TSA and been approved for the TSA Pre[check][supreg] 
Application Program.
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    \1\ See, ``TSA Announces New Application Process for TSA 
Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP>, More Options to Apply for Expedited 
Screening; First Application Center to Open in Indianapolis,''  
http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2013/12/03/tsa-announces-new-application-process-tsa-precheck-more-options-apply. See also: 
Privacy Impact Assessment for the TSA Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP> 
Application Program, DHS/TSA/PIA-041, (Sept. 4, 2013), www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/privacy-pia-tsa-precheck-09042013.pdf; Notice of Privacy Act system of records, Privacy Act 
of 1974; Department of Homeland Security/Transportation Security 
Administration-DHS/TSA-021 TSA Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP>, 78 FR 55274 
(Sept. 10, 2013); and Notice, TSA Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP> 
Application Program Fee, 78 FR 72922 (Dec. 4, 2013).
    \2\ Passengers who are eligible for expedited screening through 
a dedicated lane typically receive more limited physical screening, 
e.g., will be able to leave on their shoes, light outerwear, and 
belt; keep their laptop in its case; and keep their 3-1-1 compliant 
liquids/gels bag in a carry-on. The first travelers eligible for TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] screening included members of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection (CBP) trusted traveler programs, and other groups 
such as government employees with security clearances for whom TSA 
had conducted a threat assessment.
    \3\ This threat assessment includes vetting the applicant's 
voluntarily submitted biographic and biometric information against 
law enforcement, immigration, and intelligence databases, including 
a criminal history check conducted by the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation using the applicant's fingerprints. See Privacy Impact 
Assessment for the TSA Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP> Application Program, 
DHS/TSA/PIA-041, (Sept. 4, 2013), www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/privacy-pia-tsa-precheck-09042013.pdf; Notice of 
Privacy Act system of records, Privacy Act of 1974; Department of 
Homeland Security/Transportation Security Administration-DHS/TSA-021 
TSA Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP>, 78 FR 55274 (Sept. 10, 2013); and 
Notice, TSA Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP> Application Program Fee, 78 FR 
72922 (Dec. 4, 2013).
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    TSA has established a total of 328 enrollment centers across the 
country for applicants to use to apply for the Program. Of these, 33 
are located at airports and 295 are located off airport property. Many 
of the 295 enrollment centers were first established several years ago 
to meet the needs for other TSA programs, such as enrolling port 
workers applying for a Transportation Worker Identification Credential 
needed for access to maritime facilities, and commercial truck drivers 
applying for a Hazardous Materials Endorsement. TSA leveraged these 
enrollment centers when the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program 
launched to quickly provide enrollment sites for interested individuals 
across the country.
    The TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program is a risk-based 
approach to aviation screening that allows TSA to focus its limited 
resources on unknown and perhaps high-risk travelers, while improving 
the travel experience for most air travelers. The overwhelming majority 
of air passengers are `low risk' travelers, but it is not possible for 
TSA to confirm that on an individual basis without more information. 
This program improves security by directly providing TSA with the 
information necessary to achieve a high level of confidence on the 
relative risk each individual may present. For this reason, TSA seeks 
new methods to expand the program at a greater pace than the current 
rate.
    In September, TSA Administrator John Pistole announced that TSA is 
developing a private sector application initiative as an additional 
option for travelers to apply to TSA's Pre[check][supreg] Application 
Program. Under this initiative, TSA plans to expand enrollment options 
for the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program by seeking proposals 
from the private sector to market, enroll, and pre-screen 
applicants.\4\ TSA is seeking proposals for enrollment and prescreening 
from the private sector that would include, at a minimum, options to 
collect biographic and biometric (e.g., fingerprints or iris scans) 
information, to validate identity, and to perform a criminal history 
records check to ensure that applicants do not have convictions for 
criminal offenses that would disqualify them from the TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] Application Program (please refer to the list of 
current disqualifiers available at www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/eligibility-requirements). These options may include the use of 
commercial and other publicly available data to conduct identity 
verification and prescreening of applicants.
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    \4\ See the solicitation notice for the TSA Pre[check][supreg] 
Application Program Expansion Initiative in FedBizOpps.gov at 
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=7f7ef8721d3465271d42053408e50119&tab=core&_cview=0.

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[[Page 78897]]

    For successfully enrolled and pre-screened applicants, TSA would 
conduct a security threat assessment and make a final eligibility 
determination for the TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program. By 
leveraging private-sector best practices in business operations, 
marketing, and algorithm optimization, TSA hopes to provide a better 
travel experience for an increased number of trusted travelers.\5\
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    \5\ See ``TSA Pre[check]<SUP>TM</SUP> Private Sector Vetting 
Initiative,'' http://www.tsa.gov/press/news/2014/09/26/tsa-precheck-private-sector-vetting-initiative.
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    We believe input from the traveling public can be useful in a 
variety of areas to enhance enrollment, including:
    <bullet> Identification of convenient locations for enrollment 
centers;
    <bullet> Preferred marketing and communications techniques to reach 
a higher percentage of travelers;
    <bullet> Potential uses of private sector capabilities for 
marketing, enrollment, and prescreening of applicants;
    <bullet> Data sources and methods to enhance the verification of an 
applicant's identity, including the use of commercially-available data;
    <bullet> Ideas to remove barriers to the existing application 
process and/or ways to streamline the application process; and
    <bullet> Other factors to improve the program overall.
    Commenters must be cognizant of the fact that, while TSA will 
review and consider all comments received, TSA may not implement all 
comments. TSA, like most Government agencies, is subject to a variety 
of laws that may restrict our ability to significantly restructure the 
program. TSA is required by law to collect fees for all vetting and 
credentialing programs \6\ and thus, we cannot eliminate the fee for 
conducting security threat assessments on applicants to determine their 
risk status. We must collect personal information from applicants in 
order to conduct security threat assessments, and thus must adhere to 
all laws that require the protection of and regulate the use of that 
information. Most importantly, TSA will not implement any new measure, 
process, or standard that diminishes security or prevents TSA from 
using its discretion to make final eligibility determinations for the 
TSA Pre[check][supreg] Application Program.
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    \6\ See 6 U.S.C. 469.

    Dated: December 23, 2014.
Kenneth C. Fletcher,
Chief Risk Officer, Office of the Chief Risk Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-30639 Filed 12-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P


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