House passes legislation to shorten TSA wait times and enhance overall security measures

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016, H.R. 818, on Monday to support the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and strengthen security for Americans traveling by air in the United States and those flying from abroad.

“When we go to airports, we should expect two key things: reasonable wait times and proper security,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) said. “This bill helps meet these expectations. As we have been reminded recently, terrorists continue to target the aviation sector, including in Istanbul, Brussels and the Sinai Peninsula. Keeping Americans safe requires a holistic approach to security that is risk-based and intelligence-driven. The measure passed by the House today will play a critical role in keeping air travelers safe in the United States and those flying home from abroad.”

The legislation expands the TSA PreCheck program, which shortens wait times at security lines by providing expedited screening. The bill also improves efficiency at airport checkpoints by redeploying TSA personnel to perform additional security functions and reviewing staffing allocation model to ensure that each airport receives sufficient resources.

The bill contained three separate provisions that will help wait times and enhance security, including the TSA PreCheck Expansion Act, the Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security (SAFE GATES) Act, and the Checkpoint Optimization and Efficiency Act.