House Passes Homeland Security Legislation to Improve Transportation Security

Press Release

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 720 and H.R. 719 -- bipartisan legislation to bolster security at airports and provide oversight of the Transportation Security Administration's Office of Inspection.

Specifically, the House passed the Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act (H.R. 720), introduced by Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., to improve intergovernmental planning for and communication during security incidents at domestic airports.

"The tragic shooting at Los Angeles International Airport in November of 2013 took the life of TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez and wounded three others," said U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security. "Today, I am pleased that my colleagues joined me in passing the Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act, which supports the airport community's best practices to better prepare for and respond to active shooter scenarios. This legislation is the result of important lessons the committee gleaned from multiple hearings on the LAX shooting."

H.R. 720 passed by a vote of 411-1.

The House also passed the TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act (H.R. 719), introduced by Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., to require the Transportation Security Administration to conform to existing federal law and regulations regarding criminal investigator positions.

"The House also passed the TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act, commonsense legislation to save taxpayer dollars through reforms to TSA employee management," said Chairman McCaul. "Two years ago, the DHS Inspector General found that TSA's misclassification of some employees is wasting taxpayers' dollars. This bill ensures employee workload matches position and pay within the Office of Inspection. I thank Subcommittee Chairman Katko for his leadership on these bills and I urge the Senate to pass these important pieces of legislation."

H.R. 719 passed by a vote of 414-0.

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