Tsa Commuting Fairness Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, over the next couple of weeks, millions of Americans will travel through our Nation's airports for the holidays.

Air travel is at an all-time high, with the 10 busiest days in the Transportation Security Administration's history all occurring this year.

Throughout this busy travel period, the efforts of TSA employees are critical to keeping the aviation system secure.

Transportation security officers, or TSOs, screen travelers as they pass through checkpoints. Federal air marshals provide an in-flight security presence. K9 handlers add an extra layer of security to the system.

TSA employees face some unique challenges when commuting to work, however. Many employees find housing they can afford far from the airports, leading to long commutes with limited public transit options and heavy traffic.

Upon arrival at the airport, employees often must park in an employee lot and wait on irregular shuttles to bring them to the airport terminal where they may have to walk a long distance to a security checkpoint just to clock in for work.

According to the Government Accountability Office, TSOs have reported that just getting from the parking lot to the checkpoint to clock in for work can take as long as 45 minutes. If these hardworking civil servants are just a few minutes late to clock in, they can face discipline and punishment.

My bill, the TSA Commuting Fairness Act, would help provide fairer conditions for these employees as they commute to work to secure our transportation systems.

This bill would direct TSA to conduct a feasibility study on using mobile phones and location data to allow employees to clock in for work upon arrival at the airport parking lots and bus transit stops.

Doing so would reduce commuting costs and improve quality of life for TSA employees while allowing TSA leadership to manage the workforce appropriately and maintain order and discipline.

This study will provide insight for TSA and Congress as we collectively seek innovative ways to recruit and retain top talent to help secure our transportation systems.

I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working with me to develop this legislation.

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Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as we advance our efforts to recruit and retain a skilled and well-trained workforce to secure our Nation's aviation system, we must seek new ways to compete for top talent.

Studying ways to address some of the TSA's workforce's greatest frustrations will allow TSA to continue to build the workforce it needs to counter evolving threats and keep air travel moving.

This bill will push TSA to consider ways to improve the quality of life for its workforce, which will ultimately help our national security.

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

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