Transport Workers: New Bill To Simplify The Security Process
Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act

New Law Aims to Help Transport Workers

A new bill called the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act is moving forward in the Senate. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), and Angus King (I-Maine) created this bill. It aims to cut down on extra fees and repeated background checks for transport workers. This will make the process easier and cheaper.

Support from Many Groups

More than 150 organizations support the bill. This includes the American Trucking Associations (ATA). These groups represent trucking, rail, energy, labor, farming, and logistics. They all agree that the current system is hard on workers.

Senate Committee Approval

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation voted to move the bill forward. This committee is led by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas). This step shows that there is strong support from both political parties to help transport workers.

Statements from Industry Leaders

Chris Spear, President and CEO of the ATA, talked about the current system’s problems. He said, “Making essential workers go through the same background check many times for different credentials does not improve security. It just forces truckers and other workers to pay extra fees for checks they’ve already passed. Congress should fix this system to help our supply chain run smoothly.”

What the Bill Does

The Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act will allow workers to use one valid background check for several TSA programs. This includes the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) programs. The bill follows recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office since 2007. These recommendations were reaffirmed in a 2020 security review by the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center.

The bill will not change the security checks on individual applicants. They will still get the same level of review as they do now.

Companion Bill in the House

A similar bill was introduced in the House by Representatives Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), Adam Smith (D-Washington), Mark Green (R-Tennessee), Michael Guest (R-Mississippi), Salud Carbajal (D-California), and Dina Titus (D-Nevada). This bill is waiting for action in the House Committee on Homeland Security. Supporters want the committee to pass this reform to lower costs and reduce hassles for workers like truck drivers, pipeline operators, longshoremen, and warehouse managers who need these credentials to work.

Looking Ahead

The Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act is a big step toward fixing the credentialing system for transport workers. By cutting down on repeated checks and fees, the bill aims to help the workers who keep our supply chain running. With the Senate moving forward and the House set to consider the bill, there is hope for a better, more efficient system soon.

The bipartisan Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act, supported by over 150 organizations including the ATA, advances in the Senate. This bill aims to streamline the credentialing process for transport workers by eliminating redundant fees and background checks, with the goal of reducing costs and inefficiencies. A companion bill is pending in the House.