House aviation bill reauthorizes FAA, TSA

The U.S. House advanced bipartisan resolution H.R. 302 Thursday that reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration for five years while also reauthorizing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for three years.

“Better protecting Americans requires a holistic approach to security that is both risk-based and intelligence-driven,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said. “In this high threat environment facing airports and commercial aviation, terrorists continue to target the aviation sector, as we saw in Istanbul, Brussels, and the Sinai Peninsula. The measure passed by the House today will play a crucial role in protecting hundreds of millions of air travelers in the United States and those flying home from abroad.”

The bill provides numerous reforms and reauthorizations for the TSA. If approved by Congress, the measure would require the TSA to make real-time information on wait times via technology at each airport security checkpoint available to the public online and in airport terminals. It would also require the TSA’s budgets to clearly indicate which resources will be used for surface transportation security and which will be dedicated to aviation. Additionally, it would authorize as many as 200 additional canine teams comprised of certified explosive detection dogs for surface transportation and would approve prioritization of Computed Tomography technology.

The legislation also establishes a five-year term for the TSA Administrator to help maintain leadership stability and bridge administration transitions.