Letter to the Hon. David Pekoske, Admin. of the Transportation Security Administration - Schumer wants answers on TSA plan to take temperature of fliers at airports before it's implemented; senator wants to know "who' will lead effort, airports involved, what it means for travelers & when it might begin, among other questions; early answers & info will be critical to determine if/how it will work

Letter

Dear Administrator Pekoske:

I write today on the heels of discussions between our staffs regarding the interagency considerations of TSA, DHS, and HHS to check fliers' temperatures at some American airports. While I do not write in support or opposition at this time, I, like many others, seek detailed clarity on the consideration process your agency--and any others--are overseeing.

As you are aware, New York-area airports are among the busiest in the nation, and so your agency's public comments about its ongoing discussions with the Department of Homeland Security and other "interagency colleagues,' related to temperature screenings has spurred many questions. As your agency has said, we must work hard to make "informed decisions with the regard to the health and safety of the aviation environment." I could not agree more.

Therefore, I would encourage the TSA to formally include Congress in these ongoing discussions, especially members who represent some of the nation's busiest airports, such as here in New York. Specifically, I respectfully ask that your agency answer some initial questions about any plans to begin temperature screenings at U.S. airports and share these questions with the other relevant agencies in your discussions so that they may consider and answer them as well.

1) Will the TSA lead the effort to administer temperature screenings, and if not, then which agency?

2) While the TSA considers or engages in the planning of an effort such as this, have New York airports been of special interest given their size and traveler volume?

3) What might this new practice mean for air travelers in terms of informing them of temperature screenings?

4) Has there been any discussion(s) on where to send a traveler who might be found to, in fact, have a fever?

5) What might constitute a "fever' as it relates to this potential effort?

6) Is there an internal target date for this effort to begin, say, this summer?

7) Does the TSA consider a potential plan like this to be outside the general scope of a TSA agent's specific training? Why or why not?

8) What steps might be under consideration to ensure the safety of agents who might face increased exposures to COVID given the effort?

9) What steps, if any, are being considered to incorporate contact tracing for passengers and/or agents into an effort like this?

10) Can your agency commit to briefing Congress on any temperature screening plan before one is so far along that it is simply inexorable?

Source