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FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Senate Hearing on TSA Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Request

Original title: DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021

January 1, 2019

TSA budget aviation security Real ID transportation coronavirus

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing addresses how the TSA will be funded and operated in 2021, specifically impacting airport security staffing, the procurement of new screening technology, and the enforcement of the October 1, 2020, deadline.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Air travelers

Travelers face potential fee increases and must comply with Real ID requirements by October 1, 2020.

Rural airports

These airports may lose funding from the Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program if the budget proposal is enacted.

TSA employees

The workforce is subject to proposed pay scale incentive reforms and potential hiring delays.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2019.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a hearing to review the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) proposed 2021 budget. The committee chair expressed concerns regarding proposed fee increases, cuts to law enforcement reimbursement programs, and reduced funding for security technology.

Key Facts

The TSA budget proposal includes a passenger fee increase intended to generate $618 million in revenue.
The budget proposes eliminating the Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program, which supports rural airports.
The budget proposes eliminating funding for staffing at airport exit lanes.
The budget reduces the procurement of Computed Tomography (CT) machines by 90 percent compared to 2020 funding levels.
The budget proposes delaying new hiring in the coming fiscal year to cut costs.
The budget includes reforms to pay scale incentives for TSA employees.
The Real ID compliance deadline for air travelers is set for October 1, 2020.
Only one-third of driver's licenses currently in use are Real ID compliant as of March 2020.
The hearing took place on March 3, 2020, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I need a Real ID to fly soon?

Yes, beginning October 1, 2020, all adult passengers must present a compliant driver's license or a passport to pass through TSA checkpoints.

Is the TSA budget proposal final?

No, the proposal is currently under review by the Senate Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which has expressed opposition to several provisions, including the fee increase and program cuts.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Recurring Budget Conflicts

The administration repeatedly proposed fee increases and program cuts that Congress has consistently rejected in previous budget cycles.

Transportation Security Administration U.S. Senate

Connected Entities

organizationTransportation Security Administration“The federal agency responsible for transportation security”Map →

personDavid Pekoske“Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration”Map →

personShelley Moore Capito“Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Homeland Security”Map →

personJon Tester“Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Homeland Security”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance85
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy60
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level

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