Lawmakers Seek to Upgrade TSA Tech, Eliminate Biometric Border Funding Diversion

Lawmakers have introduced multiple bills aimed at accelerating the Transportation Security Administration’s deployment of enhanced screening technology and improving the airport experience for travelers—including a bill that would resolve a serious funding issue.

A bipartisan group, led by Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), proposed ending the diversion of funds from the 9/11 security fee, which was initially implemented after the September 11 attacks to support TSA funding. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 redirected one-third of this revenue towards deficit reduction while increasing the security fee to $5.60 per one-way flight. This diversion is set to expire at the end of fiscal year 2027 unless Congress renews it.

The new legislation seeks to stop the fee diversion and establish an “aviation security checkpoint technology fund” within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assist TSA in acquiring and deploying new technologies. TSA, an agency under the DHS, has been rolling out upgraded Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) machines that use face biometrics to match travelers’ real-time photos against their IDs.

In May, TSA Administrator David Pekoske testified to lawmakers that it could take 25 years to fully deploy these facial recognition scanners at all 400 U.S. airports under TSA’s jurisdiction unless Congress halts the fee diversion.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) introduced another bill requiring TSA to enhance travelers’ experiences during security screening by deploying new technologies and solutions. This would authorize the TSA to test passive, noninvasive technologies like thermal imaging to screen passengers for potential threats without physical contact. The bill also mandates TSA to create a strategy to reduce pat-downs and minimize the need for passengers to remove items during screening without compromising security. And it calls for the TSA to collect anonymized data on passenger screenings to assess the impact on minority travelers, utilizing noninvasive technologies such as cameras and AI.

Meanwhile, the DHS itself recently proposed a rule change concerning a special fee called the 9-11 Biometric Fee, which applies to large companies with many H-1B or L-1 visa employees. The change would require companies to pay the fee even when extending an employee’s stay, not just for new hires or when employees switch employers. That could lead to more revenue that can be used to support the DHS’s biometric entry-exit system and related initiatives.

Source: NextGov/FCW

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July 9, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith and Alex Perala