PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1140, RIGHTS FOR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY OFFICERS ACT OF 2020; PROVIDING FOR MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES; AND WAIVING A REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(A) OF RULE XIII...
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2020-3-4

. Fortunately, Madam , this bill before us today will address each of those challenges. The Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act will honor those who protect America's aviation security by bringing the TSA personnel system within the bounds of the rest of the Federal workforce. prgtoken H.R. 1140 will put an end to the current TSA personnel directives that have allowed the TSA to be the judge and jury in workforce disciplinary matters, and require TSA to follow the labor-management employee relations statutes that provide workplace rights and protections to most Federal employees under title 5 of the U.S. Code; the provision that is most notable in efforts to increase employee retention and morale by putting TSOs on the general schedule pay scale and finally aligning pay with the vast majority of other Federal employees. prgtoken This legislation has been a long time coming for the men and women who protect our skies and keep millions of us safe on a daily basis. During the 35-day partial government shutdown at the end of the last Congress, TSOs were required to work for more than 5 weeks without pay. At Philadelphia International Airport in my district, a typical entry- level salary for a TSO is about $29,000 per year, without including additional locality pay. prgtoken Working without pay for over a month would be difficult if you made three times that amount, Madam , but it is unconscionable that the Federal Government would force the very people we trust to keep us safe into having to turn to food banks, short-term loans, and donations to make ends meet. Yet these Federal workers kept reporting for work even when they couldn't afford gas and parking. These are not hypotheticals. In my district alone we collected food, diapers, gas cards, and other necessities for TSOs who were not being paid. prgtoken The Federal Government did not live up to its commitment to these TSOs, but these civil servants did not waiver in their dedication to keeping the flying public safe. prgtoken My colleagues across the aisle have objected to this bill which would support our Federal workers by claiming that our national security is at risk, that TSA would lose flexibility, and that the bill is too expensive. prgtoken To the first point, I would say that a TSA staffed by underpaid and overworked TSOs is a greater threat to national security than paying a fair wage to keep Americans safe. Pay is one of the top reasons that the TSA struggles with keeping good employees. We lose current and potential TSOs every day because they can make more money in lower pressure work environments elsewhere. prgtoken Whether in business, law, or government, you get what you pay for, and I, for one, do not believe that the security of our airports and skies or the lives of the traveling public are something we should be looking to get a bargain on. prgtoken Further, granting the TSA workforce full collective bargaining rights under title