BUSINESS
RELATING TO GOVERNMENT
INSIGHTS ON U . S . LEGISLATIVE ISSUES AND INDUSTRY TOPICS
Safe travels and the Transportation Security Administration
THE THANKSGIVING and December holiday travel seasons are consistently some of the busiest times for airports , airlines and travelers — and for the Transportation Security Administration . TSA reported that the Sunday following the 2017 Thanksgiving holiday was the fifth-busiest day TSA has had since its establishment following the September 2001 attacks , with over 2.6 million passengers and airline crew members going through TSA screening .
During the entire Thanksgiving holiday ( Nov . 17 – 26 ), TSA screened more than 21.6 million passengers and crew members . The agency predicted that through the December holidays and the new year ( Dec . 19 to Jan . 2 ) more than 34 million people would go through TSA screening procedures .
Due to this high volume of passengers facing stricter TSA screening procedures , concerns had been raised regarding long security lines . One reason for those concerns was that passengers are now required to remove electronics larger than a cellphone from their carry-on bags . However , TSA reports that 98.1 percent of the 21.6 million Thanksgiving travelers waited less than 20 minutes in TSA checkpoint lines .
The TSA PreCheck program and various apps also help travelers minimize their waits in airport lines . For example , the Mobile Passport app , valid at 24 U . S . airports , asks passengers to set up a profile based on their official passport and then answer a series of brief questions about their trip . The app then submits this information to U . S . Customs and Border Protection , which allows passengers to swiftly pass through customs .
While speed is a concern of TSA , safety and security of the traveling public are the ultimate priorities . TSA Administrator David Pekoske , who was nominated by President Donald Trump in June 2017 and then confirmed and sworn in in August , has stated that
terrorism threats to aviation remain present . He credits enhanced security screening measures and TSA canine teams with keeping travelers safe over the recent holiday season .
NTA is a strong supporter of the TSA Modernization Act ( S . 1872 ), cosponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Chair John Thune , R-S . D .; Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Bill Nelson , D-Fla .; Sen . Roy Blunt , R-Mo .; and Sen . Maria Cantwell , D-Wash . This act would establish funding levels for TSA from 2018 to 2020 , establish a five-year term for the TSA administrator and expand the TSA PreCheck program to expedite passenger screening .
Also on the legislative agenda is the reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security , something that has not been accomplished since DHS was established 15 years ago in 2002 . The Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act ( H . R . 2825 ), which passed the House in July 2017 , would authorize several TSA pilot programs , including automated identity and document verification and the use of biometric identity verification for those enrolled in PreCheck . Provisions within the bill would direct TSA to study access points and response
CC FLICKR / ANDREW PILLOUS : bit . ly / 2m8LHdu guidelines to improve airport facility security . The bill would also require TSA to have certain numbers of canine explosive-detection teams active at airports .
While the major holiday travel season is behind us , the safety and security of travelers remains a concern and a priority for both the travel and tourism industry and for the U . S . federal government . As Congress moves forward with its TSA Modernization Act and with the reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security , NTA remains engaged to ensure that the TSA continues to improve its operations and so that our priority of travel security is addressed .
Signal Group is a Washington , D . C ., lobbying firm retained by NTA to advise members about travel-related issues and legislation .
10 February 2018