Congress Sends President Obama Bipartisan Legislation to Improve TSA Acquisition Process, Stakeholder Engagement

Press Release

oday, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed Senate Amendments to H.R. 2719 and H.R. 1204, bipartisan legislation to reform the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) technology purchasing process and to improve stakeholder engagement.

"These common sense bills will improve the way TSA spends taxpayer dollars and makes major policy decisions," said Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security. "By ensuring that private industry has a seat at the table and that TSA does not purchase new technologies without proper planning, oversight and accountability, we can better safeguard our critical aviation sector, which remains a prime target for terrorists. I am grateful to Rep. Hudson and Ranking Member Thompson for their hard work on these important bills and urge the president to sign them into law."

"These important bills are common sense steps to increase transparency and accountability at TSA while keeping travelers safe and saving taxpayer dollars," said Rep. Richard Hudson, chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security. "Despite Washington's gridlock, the bipartisan passage of today's bills show that Republicans and Democrats can work together to solve problems for the common good. I want to especially thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson for their leadership on issues affecting our homeland and their hard work to get these bills to the President's desk."

Specifically, the House concurred in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2719, the Transportation Security Acquisition Reform Act, which was introduced by Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson, R-NC, and co-sponsored by Chairman Michael McCaul, R-TX, Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, D-MS, and Ranking Subcommittee Chairman Cedric Richmond, D-LA. The bill requires TSA to implement best practices and improve transparency with regard to technology acquisition programs and was passed by a vote of 425-0.

In addition, the House concurred in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1204, the Aviation Security Stakeholder Participation Act, which was introduced by Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, D-MS, and has 8 co-sponsors. The bill ensures that TSA maintains open lines of communication with relevant stakeholder groups through the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) and was passed by a vote of 416-5.

The bills will be sent to the president for his signature.

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