Hearing Of The Subcommittee On Transportation Security And Infrastructure Protection Of The House Committee On Homeland Security - "The Future Of The Registered Traveler Program"
Statement
Today, Committee on Homeland Security Chairman
Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) delivered the following prepared remarks for the
Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee hearing entitled "The
Future of the Registered Traveler Program":
"This hearing provides stakeholders and Congress with an opportunity to have an
important dialogue about expectations and the path forward for the Register Traveler
program. I am ready to work with TSA, but I also think it should consider the views of
Congress as they were expressed in H.R. 2200.
To the private sector, I want to be sure that a quick closing of business does not happen
again. The traveling public deserves better.
Since the closing of Clear's operations, staff has examined what happened at Clear; what
TSA was doing with the RT program; and how the market was responding.
To be sure, things are still in flux. When the Subcommittee sent a letter to Ms. Rossides
earlier this summer inquiring about the disposition of Clear's customer data and TSA's
role in it, TSA essentially washed its hands of any involvement or oversight.
Over the course of the last few months, however, TSA seems much more engaged in the
RT program, and that is a welcomed development. I encourage TSA to make no
judgments about the future of the RT program until new leadership has time to assess the
path forward.
I am thankful to Secretary Napolitano for her response earlier this month to the letter
Ranking Member King and I sent to her in August requesting that TSA rescind its order to
AAAE demanding that its RT customer information be deleted. This was a clear
demonstration that the Secretary wants to keep options open and I look forward to
continuing our dialogue.
I look forward to our discussion today and to working with the witnesses to chart a path
forward that will provide secure, better, and predictable options for the traveling public."
Source