Legislation To Improve TSA Acquisition, Stakeholder Engagement Goes To Obama

The House Wednesday “overwhelmingly” passed Senate amendments to HR 2719 and HR 1204, bipartisan legislation to reform the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) technology purchasing process and to improve stakeholder engagement with TSA.

The House concurred with the Senate amendment to HR 2719, the Transportation Security Acquisition Reform Act, which was introduced by House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security Chairman Richard Hudson (R-NC). The bill requires TSA to implement best practices and improve transparency with regard to technology acquisition programs.

The House also concurred with the Senate amendment to HR 1204, the Aviation Security Stakeholder Participation Act, which was introduced by ranking House Homeland Security Committee member Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). The bill ensures TSA maintains open lines of communication with relevant stakeholder groups through the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC).

This legislation authorizes ASAC in law to ensure stakeholders are consulted and included in TSA’s aviation security policy efforts, particularly when there are plans to change how aviation security is conducted," Thompson's office explained.

“This bipartisan legislation ensures that all aviation security stakeholders, including labor organizations, airports, small business operators at airports and airlines have a permanent seat at the table when TSA is developing policies and procedures that directly impact their work and businesses," Thompson said. "I look forward to working with TSA to implementing this legislation once the President signs it.”

“These common sense bills will improve the way TSA spends taxpayer dollars and makes major policy decisions,” said full committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas). “By ensuring that private industry has a seat at the table and that TSA does not purchase new technologies without proper planning, oversight and accountability, we can better safeguard our critical aviation sector, which remains a prime target for terrorists.”

“These important bills are common sense steps to increase transparency and accountability at TSA while keeping travelers safe and saving taxpayer dollars,” Hudson added, saying, “Despite Washington’s gridlock, the bipartisan passage of today’s bills show that Republicans and Democrats can work together to solve problems for the common good.”