Date: 2016-04-26
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4698. the "Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports through Enhanced Security Act of 2016." As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security. the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime. Terrorism. Homeland Security and Investigations. and a former chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Security. I have been committed to protecting and improving the security of our nations airways. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) needs all the support we can provide to aid them in protecting our nation against security th reats. The critical work of TSA agents around the country provides security for the nations airports. maintains a security force to screen all commercial airline passengers and baggage. and works with the transportation. law enforcement and intelligence communities to ensure safety. In 2015. TSA officers screened 708.316.339 million passengers (more than 1.9 million per day) at more than 450 airports across the nationwhich is 40.780.330 million more passengers than for the same timeframe in 2014. In addition to screening more than 708 million passengers last year. TSA officers also screened 1.6 billion carryon bags. 432 million checked bags and 12.9 million airport employees. Obtaining critical information about TSAs procedures and planning while handling enhanced security screenings throughout the country will only make us stronger and safer. The Congressional District I represent in Houston. Texas is home to two of the worlds busiest airports. The Bush International and the William P. Hobby Airports are essential hubs for domestic and international air travel for Houston and the region. Nearly 40 million passengers traveled through Bush International Airport (IAH) and an additional 10 million traveled through William P. Hobby (HOU). IAH is the 1 1th busiest airport in the U.S. for total passenger traffic with more than 650 daily departures. Since January. IAH has seen a significant increase in both international and domestic travelers. International travel in the first half of 2015 increased by 3.9 percent compared to the same period last year. More than 5.1 million international passengers boarded flights out of IAH. It is estimated that at the current rate. IAH could see nearly 10.2 million international passengers by the end of the year. In October 2015. in an effort to reestablish the airports daily international air service. the William P. Hobby Airport opened a new 280.000 foot complex that includes five gates for its international concourse. This addition is expected to support travel service for nearly 7.500 international passengers and 25 departing flights a day. Enhanced security protects our economic interests. more importantly. implementing this bill will protect our citizens. H.R. 4698 will direct the TSA to conduct a comprehensive security risk assessment of all last point of departure airports with nonstop flights to the United States. H.R. 4698 will also require TSA to submit to Congress and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) a plan to: -enhance collaboration. coordination. and informationsharing about internationalinbound aviation between the United States and domestic and foreign partners in order to enhance security capabilities at foreign airports. -assess TSA ability to enter into a mutual agreement with a foreign government entity to permit TSA representatives to conduct inspections of foreign airports without prior notice. Through H.R. 4698: GAO will review TSA efforts to enhance security capabilities at foreign airports and secure internationalinbound aviation. TSA will submit to Congress a comprehensive workforce assessment of all TSA personnel within its Office of Global Strategies or whose primary professional duties contribute to the TSAs global efforts to secure transportation security. including whether they are assigned in a riskbased. intelligencedriven matter. TSA may donate security screening equipment to a foreign last point of departure airport operator if the equipment can be expected to mitigate a specific vulnerability to U.S. security or U.S. citizens. TSA may evaluate foreign countries air cargo programs to determine whether they provide a level of security commensurate with that required by U.S. air cargo security programs. Mr. Speaker. we cannot wait until our security is breached by terrorists before we act. otherwise we would not have learned the lessons of September 11. 2001. I urge my colleagues on the Committee to join me in supporting this important step forward to protecting our airports.