December 9, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 196 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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EMERGING TRANSPORTATION SECURITY THREATS ACT OF 2019; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 196
(House of Representatives - December 09, 2019)
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[Pages H9371-H9373] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] EMERGING TRANSPORTATION SECURITY THREATS ACT OF 2019 Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3318) to require the Transportation Security Administration to establish a task force to conduct an analysis of emerging and potential future threats to transportation security, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3318 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act of 2019''. [[Page H9372]] SEC. 2. EMERGING AND FUTURE THREATS TASK FORCE. (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the intelligence community (as such term is defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4))) and the heads of other Federal agencies, as determined appropriate by the Administrator, shall establish a task force to conduct an analysis of emerging and potential future threats to transportation security. (b) Membership.--The task force established under subsection (a) shall be comprised of employees of the Department of Homeland Security who, in carrying out the analysis required under such subsection, shall consult with the Director of National Intelligence and the intelligence community and the heads of Federal agencies, as determined appropriate by the Administrator. (c) Deadline.--Not later than 270 days after the Administrator establishes the task force under subsection (a), the task force shall submit to the Administrator the analysis required under such subsection. (d) Elements.--The analysis required under subsection (a) shall include emerging and potential future threats posed by the following: (1) Evolving tactics by terrorist organizations that may pose a catastrophic risk to an aviation or surface transportation entity. (2) Explosive and explosive devices or attacks involving the use of explosives that may cause catastrophic damage to an aviation or surface transportation system. (3) Chemical or biological agents being released in either aviation or surface transportation systems. (4) Cyberthreat actors seeking to undermine confidence in transportation systems or cause service disruptions that jeopardize transportation security. (5) Unmanned aerial systems with the capability of inflicting harm on transportation targets. (6) Individuals or groups seeking to attack soft targets, public areas, or crowded spaces of transportation systems, including attacks against Transportation Security Administration employees and other security personnel. (7) Foreign actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities posed by the inconsistent or inadequate security screening protocols at last point of departure airports with direct flights to the United States. (8) Information sharing challenges within the Federal Government and among partner governments. (9) Information sharing challenges between the Administration or other relevant Federal agencies and transportation stakeholders, including air carriers, airport operators, surface transportation operators, and State and local law enforcement. (10) Growth in passenger volume in both the aviation and surface transportation sectors. (e) Mitigation.--Not later than 120 days after the completion of the analysis required under subsection (a), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall develop, as appropriate, a threat mitigation strategy for each of the threats examined in such analysis, and-- (1) assign appropriate resources of the Administration to address such threats, based on calculated risk; or (2) provide recommendations through the Department of Homeland Security to the appropriate Federal department or agency responsible for addressing such threats. (f) Stakeholder Engagement.--When carrying out the analysis required under subsection (a), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall engage transportation stakeholders referred to in subsection (b)(9) and account for security concerns of transportation operators by-- (1) convening not fewer than three industry day events for such transportation stakeholders to hear from relevant public and private sector security partners and provide feedback on threats such transportation stakeholders identify as emerging; (2) developing strategies to solicit feedback on a consistent basis from such transportation stakeholders across all modes of transportation and providing consistent responses to stakeholder concerns; (3) improving the quality, timeliness, and relevancy of information sharing products disseminated by the Administration to such transportation stakeholders, including classified information sharing products; (4) coordinating security incident response and communications drills, including tabletop exercises, to improve incident preparedness and response capabilities across transportation modes and among transportation systems; (5) encouraging regular communication between Federal Security Directors, Field Intelligence Officers, Federal Air Marshal Special Agents in Charge, and such transportation stakeholders; (6) establishing regular opportunities for senior Administration leadership to engage with such transportation stakeholders regarding changes in the threat environment and how the Administration can offer security support to address such changes; and (7) briefing the Aviation Security Advisory Committee and the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee on the efforts of the task force established pursuant to subsection (a). (g) Briefing to Congress.--The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall brief the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the results of the analysis required under subsection (a) and relevant mitigation strategies developed in accordance with subsection (c). (h) Non-applicability of FACA and PRA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) and the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) shall not apply to the task force established under subsection (a). SEC. 3. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY. (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the feasibility, risks, costs, and potential threat mitigation benefits of the Transportation Security Administration deploying the agency's passenger and property screening assets to conduct screening in areas or facilities prior to passenger arrival at airport terminals. (b) Stakeholder Engagement.--In conducting the review required under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall consult with the Transportation Security Administration, airport operators, air carriers, businesses that operate in airports, labor groups representing the Transportation Security Administration and transportation sector personnel, and other stakeholders. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan. General Leave Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Michigan? There was no objection. Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 3318, the Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act of 2019. Millions of people travel every day and rely on a secure transportation system to get them to their destination safely. Terrorists and other nefarious actors are constantly looking for new ways to attack and disrupt our Nation's transportation systems. All it takes is one successful attack for the public to lose confidence in the system as a whole. We must ensure that our security systems remain one step ahead of nefarious actors and that all entities responsible for transportation security are collaborating and sharing information in an effective manner to help prevent an attack. This bill is a good step in this direction. Importantly, it requires the TSA, in consultation with the intelligence community and other relevant Federal agencies, to establish a task force to analyze emerging and future threats to transportation security. Having individuals from across the Federal Government work together to assess emerging threats will help promote collaboration and efficiency across the agencies. After the analysis is complete, H.R. 3318 requires TSA to develop a threat mitigation strategy for each threat the task force identifies. These mitigation strategies will be important tools for TSA as they consider how best to prevent potential threats from occurring. Finally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a review to determine the costs and benefits of conducting screening prior to passenger arrival at an airport terminal. Mr. Speaker, we must do all that we can to prevent an attack on our transportation systems. This bill promotes collaboration to put our security agencies in a better position to identify and mitigate threats. Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3318, the Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act of 2019, sponsored by my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce). This legislation establishes a task force aimed at improving the security of the traveling public by bringing together relevant Federal authorities and transportation security stakeholders. The task force established by this legislation will look at emerging and [[Page H9373]] potential future threats to transportation security from a number of threat vectors, including cybersecurity, explosives, public area security, and evolving terrorist attacks. This bill also directs the Administrator of the TSA to develop relevant threat mitigation plans in close coordination with transportation security stakeholders and appropriate Federal agencies. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close after the gentleman from Louisiana closes. Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce). Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 3318, the Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act of 2019. This legislation will ensure that Homeland Security is forward- looking in regard to threats facing America's transportation systems. My district, Pennsylvania's 13th, is home to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, which serves as a stark reminder of the heroism of ordinary Americans and why, as a Congress, we must act to protect our Nation against threats to the homeland. Oftentimes, the Transportation Security Administration faces criticism from Congress, stakeholders, and the traveling public that the agency is too reactionary to evolving threats and not proactive enough in mitigating emerging threats to transportation. H.R. 3318 seeks to improve collaboration among the TSA, the intelligence community, other Federal agencies, and transportation security stakeholders by creating a task force to conduct an analysis of emerging threats to transportation security. Once established, this task force will examine threats posed by evolving terrorist tactics, explosive devices, chemical and biological agents, cyber actors, unmanned aerial systems, and inadequate information sharing, among other security challenges. For each threat examined by the task force established in this legislation, the TSA is directed to develop a mitigation strategy to protect the traveling public and identify needed security enhancements. This bill ensures that each of these efforts will include close collaboration with transportation stakeholders on the development of security strategies, improved information sharing practices, and regular interactions with senior TSA leadership on security matters. Finally, this legislation requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a review ensuring that the TSA effectively implements the bill's requirements. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana, Clay Higgins, for his support of this bill and for working to bring it to the floor today. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, securing our Nation's transportation systems from successful attack requires the collaboration of all stakeholders responsible for transportation security. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce) for bringing this legislation forward, and I urge passage of H.R. 3318. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3318, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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