One-stop Pilot Program Extension Act

Text in the Record

Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9388) to amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize an extension of a program to permit screened passengers and their property arriving on direct flights or flight segments originating at certain foreign last point of departure airports to continue on additional flights or flight segments originating in the United States without additional screening, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 9388

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 ``One-Stop Pilot Program Extension Act''.

SEC. 2. ONE-STOP PROGRAM.

(a) Checked Baggage Re-Screening.--Subsection (d) of section 7132 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 49 U.S.C. 44901 note) is amended to read as follows: ``(d) Re-Screening of Checked Baggage.--Subject to subsection (f), the Administrator, in coordination with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), may permit checked baggage arriving on direct flights or flight segments arriving from participating foreign last point of departure airports referred to in subsection (b) to continue on additional flights or flight segments originating in the United States without additional TSA security re-screening if the following requirements are satisfied: ``(1) The initial checked baggage screening at such an airport was conducted using an explosives detection system in accordance with an aviation security screening agreement described in subsection (e). ``(2) Passengers arriving from such airports are unable to access their checked baggage until arrival at their final destination. ``(3) CBP has received timely images of such baggage prior to the arrival in the United States of such passengers and baggage that satisfy CBP requirements from such an airport corresponding to the checked baggage of such passengers to ensure appropriate border security enforcement can be completed in an efficient manner. ``(4) CBP has not identified any such passenger or baggage for further inspection.''. (b) Extension.--Subsection (k) of section 7132 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 is amended by striking ``six'' and inserting ``ten''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Walkinshaw) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

General Leave

Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 9388. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 9388, the One-Stop Pilot Program Extension Act. This legislation extends the one-stop security pilot program for an additional 4 years. The one-stop security pilot program is operated by TSA and aims to streamline travel for passengers returning to the United States from international travel who have domestic connections. Under the usual screening process, passengers coming from outside the United States undergo inspections by Customs and Border Protection, collect their checked bags, and exit the sterile area of the airport. Under the one-stop security screening process, passengers undergo security screening at their departure airport and fly to a one-stop participating airport where they are cleared by CBP, but they can be routed straight to the sterile area of the airport instead. In doing so, passengers are not required to reenter through TSA screening, as they have already been screened at their departure airport using the same standards and technologies required by TSA. If additional airports were to join this pilot program, passengers would be able to continue on their journey with greater ease and efficiency once they return to the United States.

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I thank Representative Gimenez, the chairman of our committee's Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee, for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 9388. TSA's one-stop pilot program enables passengers arriving from certain foreign airports to be exempt from rescreening by TSA prior to connecting to domestic flights. The one-stop program requires those foreign airports to meet certain standards deemed comparable to TSA's, which helps improve aviation security at those airports. As more international airports start participating in the program, H.R. 9388 will ensure the program can continue to operate until December 2032, while Congress evaluates and makes any necessary changes to improve the program for the traveling public. These changes will help advance this pilot program to improve the travel experience for passengers. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez). Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan One-Stop Pilot Program Extension Act. In south Florida, Miami International Airport is one of the busiest international gateways in the United States. Every day, millions of passengers pass through airports like Miami International Airport throughout the country. We have a responsibility to keep those passengers and our airports moving efficiently while maintaining the highest security standards. This bill does exactly that. By extending this successful pilot program, passengers arriving from trusted foreign airports can connect to their final destination without unnecessary duplicate baggage screening. Security is never compromised. Every participating airport must meet strict TSA standards. Customs and Border Protection retains full oversight, and any passenger or bag identified as a security concern receives additional inspection. This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will reduce delays, ease congestion, improve the travel experience, and strengthen our aviation system while protecting our homeland. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Garbarino for his leadership. Also, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter) for cosponsoring this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the One-Stop Pilot Program Extension Act. Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), who is the Democratic co- lead on this bill.

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