Tsa Personnel Workplace Improvement Act of 2020

Floor Speech

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Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5811) to require the Transportation Security Administration to provide nursing facilities and paid parental leave for Administration personnel, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5811

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 ``TSA Personnel Workplace Improvement Act of 2020''. SEC. 2. NURSING FACILITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL.

(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall ensure that all Administration personnel have adequate access to facilities designated for use by nursing mothers in the workplace. Such facilities shall be--

(1) assessed for cleanliness, safety, and accessibility to personnel duty stations;

(2) free of charge;

(3) located in a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public; and

(4) available for personnel to use with a reasonable break time to express breast milk for a child of such personnel each time such personnel has a need to express milk.

(b) Duration.--The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall ensure that the availability to Administration personnel described in subsection (a)(4) is for a period of time equal to at least one year from the birth of a child of an Administration employee.

(c) Coordination With Stakeholders.--In carrying out the requirements in subsection (a), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall coordinate with the National Institutes for Health and the labor organization representing Administration screening personnel.

(d) Notification.--The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall inform Administration personnel about the availability under subsection (a) of facilities designed for use by nursing mothers in the workplace. SEC. 3. PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.

Section 114(n)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by striking ``The personnel management'' and inserting ``(A) Consistent with subparagraph (B), the personnel management''; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

``(B) The Administrator shall ensure that all Administration personnel not provided paid parental leave under subparagraph (B) of section 111(d)(2) (as added by section 7606 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92)) are provided at least 12 weeks of such leave, consistent with the requirements of such subparagraph.''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 5811, the TSA Personnel Workforce Improvement Act of 2020. The country recently observed the 19th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, a day that shook the Nation to its core and changed it forever. The federalization of the aviation screening workforce was one of the most important steps taken as a Nation to restore America's confidence in flying again.

Today, with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves at another moment when many Americans are not comfortable flying. Still, we have a dedicated workforce in our Nation's airports that stand ready to protect America's flying public. Yet, this cadre of frontline workers, transportation security officers--also known as TSOs--continues to be among the lowest paid Federal employees.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5811, the TSA Personnel Workplace Improvement Act of 2020, seeks to ease some of the burden on TSOs who are also juggling the care of small children. The legislation directs TSA to provide lactation facilities for nursing mothers and 12 weeks of paid parental leave for all TSA personnel.

Under H.R. 5811, these lactation facilities must be assessed for cleanliness, safety, and accessibility to personnel duty stations, and TSA must coordinate implementation of the bill with relevant stakeholders, including the union representing frontline TSA officers. Given TSA's complex and challenging mission, the agency must explore all options to retain talent, which includes parents and nursing mothers.

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Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 5811, a bill that seeks to improve conditions for working parents in TSA's frontline workforce. These improvements may increase morale and retention, which is critical to ensure the effectiveness of aviation security in the face of evolving threats.

I thank the gentleman from New York for introducing this bill, and I urge its passage.

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