Veterans Expedited Tsa Screening Safe Travel Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Green for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, my great State of Arizona is home to over 450,000 veterans, and nearly 30 percent of those veterans live with a disability.

My legislation, H.R. 7365, the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening, or VETS, Safe Travel Act, will provide optimized security screenings to veterans with catastrophic, service-connected disabilities free of charge, connect veterans to the VA for expanded access to the benefits they deserve, and restore veterans' dignity and independence while traveling.

Traveling through standard airport checkpoints with severe injuries can present significant challenges for disabled veterans. They often must wait in long, winding lines, remove their shoes, and maintain balance to stand in a security scanner.

For many disabled veterans, these can be difficult tasks and can present a fall hazard or require special assistance.

By providing TSA PreCheck free of charge, my legislation will create a more honorable travel experience for veterans with prosthetics, vision impairment, paralysis, or relying on wheelchairs or other mobility aids.

The VETS Safe Travel Act will also help create an improved airport experience for everyone by decreasing congestion at the standard security checkpoints.

To obtain the benefit, the VA will certify that a veteran has a service-connected disability and is therefore eligible to apply for the program at no cost. TSA is also required to partner with veteran service organizations to make veterans aware of this benefit. TSA must also submit a report to Congress about the program to ensure it is working efficiently.

Importantly, my bill specifically prohibits any budget gimmick used to offset costs by increasing the fees for other TSA PreCheck enrollees.

This year, the Honor Flight Network welcomed 302 veterans from my home State of Arizona alone to our Nation's Capital. These veterans deserve the star treatment from departure to arrival and back.

H.R. 7365 will ease the burden of any air travel on disabled veterans, their families, and caregivers and pave the way for additional disability reforms in veteran air travel.

I thank the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security as well as the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for prioritizing the quality of life for our disabled veterans.

I ask my colleagues to pass this bipartisan legislation that helps disabled veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country.

Ms. CLARKE of New York.

Mr. Speaker, we owe our disabled veterans not only our gratitude for their service but our commitment to their continued care. This is a sensible bill that would help ensure disabled veterans are provided the benefits and dignity they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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