Hearing of the Transportation Security Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee - "Authorizing the Transportation Security Administration for Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013"

Statement

Today, Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G.
Thompson (D-MS) delivered the following prepared remarks for the Transportation Security subcommittee hearing entitled "Authorizing the Transportation Security Administration for Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013":

"Last Congress, Subcommittee Chairwoman Jackson Lee and I, along with our Republican counterparts moved a bipartisan TSA authorization bill which passed the House with unanimous bipartisan support.

We are proud of the bipartisan manner through which H.R. 2200 was developed into a comprehensive and thoughtful legislative accomplishment.

An authorization bill demonstrates a core Constitutional function of Congress and lays important markers for the Executive Branch.

Today, I look forward to commencing this process once again and would like to specifically address two main areas of concern regarding transportation security.

First, I would like to address the reduction in Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) funding.

Thirty-four million people use the Nation's rail and mass transit systems each day.

As I stated last month at the full committee hearing, despite this reality and over my objections, the Republicans have cut $1.7 billion for all FEMA and TSA grant programs, which represents a 59% cut from FY 2010 enacted levels.

Obviously, this means that less money will be allocated to transit agencies.

Transit agencies depend on this federal money to enhance a wide range of security efforts as well as to finance efforts that keep riders safe, including hardening infrastructure, installing surveillance systems, and implementing operational security protocols.

As local transit agencies adjust to working under dire budget conditions, it is imperative that TSA provide as many resources as possible to these stakeholders.

Simply put, Congress must restore the critical TSGP funding as we on this side of the aisle have requested.

Aside from the funding issue, TSA can enhance surface and mass transit security by issuing surface regulations required by the 9/11 Act to address frontline employee security training.

Mr. Pistole, this is not the first time the Committee has brought this issue to your attention, and I am very concerned about the lack of response to this issue. I hope that you can give me give me a concrete date when you plan on meeting these mandates.

Mr. Chairman, you have pledged to work in a bipartisan manner throughout this authorization process, and I thank you for this.

Nearly ten years following the 9/11 attacks, we are at a critical juncture in determining which programs have worked well and which programs have been riddled with waste or ineffectiveness.

I do believe that with Administrator Pistole's leadership, we will accomplish this assessment and produce a thoughtful and relevant TSA authorization bill that improves the passenger and baggage screening processes, acknowledges privacy concerns, incorporates stakeholders into the policy
formulation process and ultimately reassures the American public that we are implementing policies to further secure transportation."

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