The House Homeland Security Committee advanced legislation on Wednesday that was introduced by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) to improve the security of foreign flights into the United States.
The Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security (SAFE GATES) Act, H.R. 4698, would direct the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to draft and implement a security coordination enhancement plan. It would also authorize the TSA to donate security equipment to foreign airports.
“In the wake of (Tuesday’s) horrific attacks in Brussels, there is no question that terrorists remain committed to attacking aviation,” Katko, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security, said. “I have looked extensively at insider threats at airports both domestically and abroad, and as a result, we’ve acted to pass security reforms. Still, we must redouble our efforts in Congress to keep our country safe in this heightened terrorist threat environment.”
The bill would take steps to increase cooperation among partner nations to ensure flight safety and would give the TSA the authority to fill security gaps with screening assistance at airports that don’t meet safety standards.
“(On Wednesday) the House Homeland Security Committee passed important, bipartisan legislation that I introduced to help keep our country safe by improving security at foreign airports with direct flights to the United States,” Katko said. “This bill will help ensure that individuals traveling from these airports are held to the same scrutiny as individuals within our country.”