House Transportation Security Subcommittee Chairman John Katko (R-NY) led the push to advance several important transportation measures in committee this week in an effort to improve systemic screening problems at airports.
The bills that moved forward through the subcommittee included H.R. 3102, the Airport Access Control Security Act of 2015, which was authored by Katko.
“I am pleased to have strong bipartisan support for H.R. 3102,” Katko said. “Keeping the traveling public safe is the mission of this subcommittee, and I look forward to continuing to push commonsense reforms to improve traveler safety.”
Following several incidents involving the illicit trafficking of drugs and guns by employees at airports, the measure was introduced last week to improve security standards for airport employees.
“This bill represents a significant step forward,” Katko said. “Our committee identified several security threats and acted deliberately and effectively to address these issues.”
In addition to the Airport Access Control Security Act, the subcommittee also passed H.R. 3144, the Partners for Aviation Security Act, authored by Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ).
“Going forward, we need to continue our bipartisan dialogue with airports, employees and other stakeholders,” Katko said. “We must continue to address these issues in order to avert other future security breaches, and make our airports a safer and more secure place to work.”
In the coming weeks, the House will review two more transportation security bills introduced by Katko, including the Improved Security Vetting for Aviation Workers Act of 2015 and the PreCheck Expansion Act.