OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Improving Travel for Families Act

Floor Speech

Date: March 5, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LUTTRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate for the passage of our bill, H.R. 5969, the Improving Travel for Families Act.

Global Entry has been a critical asset in expediting clearance for preapproved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Reduced wait times and access to expedited entry into the United States are all the benefits of Global Entry membership.

Global Entry began as a small pilot program in 2008 with availability in just three airports. Today, the Global Entry program offers expedited preapproved travel clearance for millions of travelers and is available in over 60 U.S. airports.

Our bill would improve international travel for families by allowing children ages 10 and younger who are not currently enrolled in the Global Entry program to accompany their parents and guardians who are in the program in the designated precleared lanes upon arrival at international airports in the United States.

Additionally, the bill would streamline the Global Entry application process by permitting parents or guardians to schedule a single application appointment for up to four young children at a time, rather than having to book multiple individual appointments, thereby reducing the interview appointment backlog.

These small, but meaningful, advancements will be a marked improvement on the Global Entry program. Under current law, only preapproved Global Entry travelers, regardless of age, are permitted to utilize dedicated lanes and kiosks. This creates a major inconvenience for Global Entry-enrolled parents who are traveling with young children who are not currently enrolled.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Green, Congressman Glenn Ivey, and the members and staff of the Homeland Security Committee for working with me and my staff on this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this sensible legislative measure that will afford law-abiding Americans the opportunity to travel with their children.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward