Three Katko aviation security bills signed into law

Three national security-related bills authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) passed the Senate on Friday and were signed into law by President Barack Obama.

The bills were included as part of an extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization and provide needed stability to the nation’s aviation program.

The legislation included three bills from Katko, including the PreCheck Expansion Act, a bill to provide expedited screening to low-risk travelers; the Checkpoint Optimization and Efficiency Act, which reduces wait times at the nation’s airports; and the SAFE GATES Act, which focuses on enhancing security at foreign airports with direct flights to the U.S.

“Since being elected to represent Central New York in Congress, I’ve worked tirelessly to ensure that we’re taking action to keep the traveling public safe in the current high threat environment,” Katko said. “Tonight, the president signed into law critical legislation to strengthen security for travelers both domestically and internationally, make travel more efficient at airport checkpoints, and ensure that the Transportation Security Administration is ready to protect our transportation infrastructure.”

Katko is a representative of New York’s 24th Congressional District, which includes all of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne Counties, as well as the western portion of Oswego County.