Aviation Security Stakeholder Participation Act of 2013

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 1204, the Aviation Security
Stakeholder Participation Act, sponsored by the gentleman from
Mississippi, the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security,
Mr. Thompson.

This legislation, as amended by the Senate, will ensure that TSA is
maintaining open lines of communication with relevant stakeholder
groups through the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC). H.R.
1204 codifies the existing ASAC and prohibits TSA from allowing the
Committee's charter to lapse, as has happened in the past. It also
ensures a diverse group of stakeholders have a seat at the table,
requires TSA to provide feedback on the Committee's recommendations,
and makes it possible for the Committee to discuss sensitive security
information, as appropriate.

The ASAC and all of its members have a vested interest in the
security of our nation's critical aviation systems and can help TSA
make well-informed, effective policy decisions. The type of
collaborative effort that the ASAC fosters is vitally important to our
nation's aviation security, and I thank the Ranking Member for
developing H.R. 1204 and for his leadership on this issue. I also thank
the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Mr.
Hudson, and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Mr. Richmond, for
their commitment to improving TSA. Finally, I wish to thank our
colleagues in the Senate for their work on this bill, including
Senators Tester, Rockefeller, Thune, and Ayotte.

I urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 1204 and
send this bill to the President for his signature.

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