[Pages H6566-H6568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

VETERANS EXPEDITED TSA SCREENING SAFE TRAVEL ACT

Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 7365) to provide PreCheck to certain severely
injured or disabled veterans, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 7365

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Expedited TSA
Screening Safe Travel Act'' or the ``VETS Safe Travel Act''.

SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF PRECHECK PROGRAM TO CERTAIN SEVERELY
INJURED OR DISABLED VETERANS.

(a) In General.--Section 44927 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(g) Availability of PreCheck Program to Certain Severely
Injured or Disabled Veterans.--
``(1) In general.--A veteran described in paragraph (2) is
eligible for security screening under the PreCheck Program
under section 44919 at no cost to the veteran if the veteran
is able to meet the background check and other security
requirements for participation in the Program.
``(2) Veterans described.--A veteran described in this
paragraph is a veteran who--
``(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the
Department of Veterans Affairs established and operated under
section 1705 of title 38, United States Code;

[[Page H6567]]

``(B) has been determined by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to have a service-connected disability under section
1110 or 1131 of such title, as the case may be, and such
disability has been determined by such Secretary to have
resulted in--
``(i) loss, or loss use of, an extremity;
``(ii) paralysis or partial paralysis; or
``(iii) permanent blindness; and
``(C) as a result of a loss, paralysis or partial
paralysis, or blindness described in subparagraph (B),
requires the use of a wheelchair, prosthetic limb, or other
assistive device to aid with mobility.
``(3) Limitation.--The Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall carry out this subsection
subject to the availability of appropriations and may not
increase fees for enrollment in the PreCheck Program for such
purpose.''.
(b) Coordination on Implementation.--The Administrator of
the Transportation Security Administration and the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall jointly--
(1) implement a process under which a veteran described in
paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of section 44927 of title 49,
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), can receive
the benefits under such subsection by not later than one year
after the date of enactment of this Act; and
(2) provide to the Committee on Homeland Security and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
of the Senate a briefing on the status of implementing the
process required by paragraph (1) by not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Outreach for Disabled Veterans on Availability of
Transportation Security Administration Programs.--
(1) Coordination.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and
the Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration shall implement a process under which such
Secretary provides to disabled veterans effective outreach
regarding Transportation Security Administration programs
designed to improve the screening process for passengers with
disabilities.
(2) Further enhancements to ease air travel for wounded
warriors and other disabled veterans.--Notwithstanding
subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act''), or
any other provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, in coordination with the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration, shall--
(A) engage appropriate veterans service organizations and
other relevant organizations, as appropriate, to assess the
awareness of veterans of relevant Transportation Security
Administration programs; and
(B) examine the need and feasibility of other measures to
improve travel security procedures for disabled veterans.
(3) Briefing requirement.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs and the Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration shall jointly provide to the
Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a briefing on the status
of the implementation of paragraphs (1) and (2).

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Green) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.

General Leave

Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 7365.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7365, the VETS Safe
Travel Act. The bill would make the Transportation Security
Administration's PreCheck program available to certain disabled
veterans. It is an important piece of legislation, and I thank the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) for his attention to this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, during this era of partisanship and discord, there is
one issue on which I hope we can all agree: that veterans who are
disabled while serving our country should be provided the utmost care
and respect.
Unfortunately, our current airport security screening systems cause
unnecessary delays and intrusions for many disabled veterans.
The VETS Safe Travel Act, H.R. 7365, would help address these
challenges by allowing veterans with service-connected disabilities and
severe injuries to enroll in the Transportation Security
Administration's PreCheck expedited screening program at no cost to the
veteran.
Doing so will allow disabled veterans to move through airport
screening quickly and with minimal hassle.
Importantly, such veterans will still be required to undergo the
background checks required for all passengers enrolling in the PreCheck
program, thus maintaining the integrity and security of the program.
In addition, during committee consideration of this bill, Democrats
offered an amendment that would ensure the bill does not
unintentionally require TSA to increase PreCheck enrollment fees for
all other passengers to pay for the enrollments of disabled veterans.
By passing this bill, Congress will improve everyday life for
disabled veterans as they travel.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).
Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Green for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, my great State of Arizona is home to over 450,000
veterans, and nearly 30 percent of those veterans live with a
disability.
My legislation, H.R. 7365, the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening, or
VETS, Safe Travel Act, will provide optimized security screenings to
veterans with catastrophic, service-connected disabilities free of
charge, connect veterans to the VA for expanded access to the benefits
they deserve, and restore veterans' dignity and independence while
traveling.
Traveling through standard airport checkpoints with severe injuries
can present significant challenges for disabled veterans. They often
must wait in long, winding lines, remove their shoes, and maintain
balance to stand in a security scanner.
For many disabled veterans, these can be difficult tasks and can
present a fall hazard or require special assistance.
By providing TSA PreCheck free of charge, my legislation will create
a more honorable travel experience for veterans with prosthetics,
vision impairment, paralysis, or relying on wheelchairs or other
mobility aids.
The VETS Safe Travel Act will also help create an improved airport
experience for everyone by decreasing congestion at the standard
security checkpoints.
To obtain the benefit, the VA will certify that a veteran has a
service-connected disability and is therefore eligible to apply for the
program at no cost. TSA is also required to partner with veteran
service organizations to make veterans aware of this benefit. TSA must
also submit a report to Congress about the program to ensure it is
working efficiently.
Importantly, my bill specifically prohibits any budget gimmick used
to offset costs by increasing the fees for other TSA PreCheck
enrollees.
This year, the Honor Flight Network welcomed 302 veterans from my
home State of Arizona alone to our Nation's Capital. These veterans
deserve the star treatment from departure to arrival and back.
H.R. 7365 will ease the burden of any air travel on disabled
veterans, their families, and caregivers and pave the way for
additional disability reforms in veteran air travel.
I thank the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security as well as
the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for prioritizing the
quality of life for our disabled veterans.
I ask my colleagues to pass this bipartisan legislation that helps
disabled veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country.
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time for closing.
Mr. Speaker, we owe our disabled veterans not only our gratitude for
their service but our commitment to their continued care. This is a
sensible

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bill that would help ensure disabled veterans are provided the benefits
and dignity they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this measure, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time to close.
I am appreciative of both Mr. Gosar, as a veteran myself, and Mr.
Thanedar, the Democrat cosponsor of this bill, for their hard work on
it and their whipping of it and whipping me and the committee to get it
done.
I again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7365, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 7365, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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