Transcripts For CSPAN2 TSA Nominee Testifies At Confirmation Hearing 20170621

Good morning. Today will consider the nomination of admiral David Pekoske to become the next administrator of Transportation Security Administration. Having spent 32 years in the coast guard after graduating from the Coast Guard Academy in 1977, admiral pekoske is especially wellqualified nominee to become the next tsa administrator. His leadership experience ranges as serving as the coast guard area and Defense Forces west where he was in charge of all coast guard operations for the western hemisphere to become the 26th commandant of the u. S. Coast guard 2009, where he served as second in command, chief operating officer and component Acquisition Executive of the coast guard. Admiral pekoskes nomination to be tsa administrator comes an important time. Security threats remain a persistent challenge for aviation and transportation in the tsa is not only tasked, but also ensuring the freedom and movement of people and commerce in an efficient manner. This committee in response to the 9 11 attack him in the tsa has been a subject to scrutiny by congress and the media. They have been appropriately criticized for issues from which testers of Homeland Security, Inspector General and the Government Accountability office have been able to smuggle contraband through checkpoints as well as persistent problems of large acquisitions. In spite of the challenges come in the previous tsa administrator admiral peter massinger made significant positive changes, some of which include shortening wait times during travel season, improving technology and checkpoints in the creation of an academy for workers. I hope admiral pekoske can build on these improvements and build the tsas workforce and apply extensive leadership skills resolving challenges that remain to be confirmed. The Commerce Committee has been active on Aviation Security. By congress to Committee Staff in a decade and the fa extension safety and security act of 2016 which address the challenges posed by unauthorized access to secure areas of airports, expanded access to tsa precheck and attempted to optimize checkpoint operations. Early this year however the Commerce Committee held an oversight hearing in which dhs Inspector General john roberts testified challenges still remain in these issues. Inspector general roths testimony became the challenges including vulnerabilities, ensuring only employees have access to secure areas in the issue of lost or stolen access badges. I hope pekoske will address persistent problems raised by general ross. As they work with tsa to improve Aviation Security is important in corporate perspective of stakeholders that the Commerce Committee held a hearing to highlight improving tsa to better serve the traveling public trade one of the major themes that emerged at the testimony was the risk based approach of security as well as operation between tsa industry to promote innovation. Currently the agency is growing considerable attention for the possible expansion of the personal Electronic Devices such as Laptop Computers on site to the United States in the last point of departure airports. While the secretary of Homeland Security is recently signaling such a move may be unnecessary. This is a good example of an issuer stakeholder collaboration is a Critical Development of solutions in the acceptance and implementation of security protocols. My hope is admiral pekoske will work to promote relationships with the private sector and create a culture that embraces innovative approaches and securities. The Service Transportation secretary, longstanding challenge for tsa has been adopting a risk based approach to security. In april the Committee Held a markup on the service and Maritime Transportation act with Ranking Member nelson. Our bill would direct tsa to conduct analysis all across all modes of kant train transportation require the basis and establish the Service Transportation similar to the aviation stakeholder advisory committee. The bill was reported favorably enough bipartisan support to ensure its eventual enactment. I was able to meet with admiral pekoske last week and i believe if confirmed he will provide the cultural continuity to tsa and the same manner as his distinguished presence. I saw my support his nomination and i hope we can move quickly to confirm it. But back. But back on my turn to our Ranking Member, senator nelson for any remarks would like to make. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I joined by reference agreeing with your comments and therefore ill insert my comments in the record. I just want to thank the admiral for his 33 years with the coast guard, which is a very professional team and the members of this committee were very proud of the coast guard since he has the whole west coast. That includes all the way down to american samoa, all the way up to the bering sea in the arctic area where the coast guard basically takes care of all of that area. One thing that we might look at in this everchanging scene of technology and the threat to the Transportation Safety is that wherever people bunched up, thats a soft target and we found unfortunately with brussels and london that is outside the security areas and some plays i was the other day. I think it was at Grand Central station as people were getting ready to form the line to go through the gate to get on the train when the train arrived. And they dont let you go when until the train has arrived so that you dont flutter off the platform thereby attracts. I was thinking at the time, i mean, this is a bunch of americans all tasks have together. This is stuff you got to worry about because its alternative Transportation Safety. Surface transportation come in the of that surface transportation has been underfunded and unfocused. The bill that we are looking not themes to fix that by enhancing riskbased security, requiring training to address the threats on our highways, closing gaps in Port Security and providing funding to improve security at our rail stations and our seaports. Now, the bill does something very, very important. And that is that adds 200 canine teams and that is not only a powerful technological thing because nobody has been able to reproduce the sense that its missing of a dog. But it also provides a very psychological deterrent. The extension tasked a year ago included bipartisan provisions to better guard against terrorism threat and improve security screening. I will say in conclusion that i think the people that had advised the president for not giving the best advice when they recommended tightening the dog teams in the president budget. Once you are in the position, admiral, you need to make what you know to be true, well known but omb. What we are trying to do in the bill does increase the number of canine teams. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Lets hear from the witness. Thank you, senator nelson. David pekoske seers nominate to be secretary of Homeland Security transportation security. Admiral, please proceed with your remarks and we look forward to the conclusion of those asking a few questions. Please proceed. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Good morning chairman thune, ricky member nelson to see which numbers of the committee. Before you today as the president s nominee. Im honored to have been nominated by President Trump for the very Important National security position and if confirmed i look forward to the opportunity to work with secretary kelly, deputy secretary duke and the entire department of Homeland Security. My first comment today are in strong support of the men and women of Transportation Security Administration be at each and everyone contributes to the security of our nations Transportation System and works tirelessly to earn the trust and respect to the american people. Their work is critical to the security of our Aviation Transportation system and they have in my opinion done an outstanding job in protecting us from whatever dynamics drive. It would be my privilege to join them at their administrator get skills and experience directly to the effort securing our homeland. Tsa could not accomplish the mission were not for strong partnerships it has at other federal partners, state and local Public Safety and Law Enforcement agencies, the airline industry, Government Services industry, airport owners and operators in the international orders. Throughout the professional career, ive seen firsthand the importance and enormous value of strong partnerships and professional relationships. This is the extended team and it would be my privilege to join them as well ensuring transportation security in the United States. I had the i honor of serving the coast guard for most of my adult life. Im forever grateful to my coast guard colleagues for their investment in my leadership and professional development. I have experience with Security Operations in meeting a Large Federal Agency that uses riskbased management. Is that the coast guard, not died on 9 11 as the executive assistant in the attacks on our homeland occurred. Like all of you, i will never forget that day and the days that immediately followed. I was privileged to remain as the executive assistant in the tsa and department of Homeland Security were established. In december 2004 i served as federal officials for Maritime Security and the National Political Convention Since 9 11. And the Republican National convention in new york city. Both were security fence and operations across all federal, state and local agencies were very successful. Strong partnerships among Law Enforcement are absolutely critical and very high priority. I served as the assistant headquarters establishing serverside policy for Security Operations and participate in discussions with the National Security staff and operations deputies of military services. As commander is responsible for coast guard operations on the west coast of the United States, alaska and hawaii are given the vast expansion of International Strategy of increasing emphasis in the pacific theater, they were closely with china, south korea, japan and canada. Im a strong supporter of International Engagement Come International standard setting and the United States. The chief operating officers in addition of the program one of the most wellestablished programs and government. Should i be confirmed as tsa administrator, it would be one of my key focus areas. It is critical to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of tsa operations. Follow my Coast Guard Service the journey successful midmarket company. My experience in the private sector was very valuable and i learned how government can be a better Consumer Private sector expertise and support. My experience in the coast guard in private sector is directly relevant to the position of tsa administrator. Today we face a multitude of trust persistent and ever evolving. We know the secretarys organizations remain focused on commercial aviation and disrupt the freedom we enjoy as an open society. Stay ahead of threats and ensuring appropriate measures are in place to continue to be the tsas most significant challenge. If confirmed would be my honor to serve at one of the most challenging jobs in government. My overarching goal would he leave the tsa and ever stronger position thats effective and efficient with security for Transportation Systems, especially aviation at the strong and growing level of Public Confidence in the agencys performance. I will articulate a clear vision for tsa to ensure efforts contribute. My full intention is to serve as tsa administrator if confirmed for as long as the president and secretary wish me to remain in this position. Leadership continuity is very important. If confirmed would be the 13th administrator in 16 years when you include those in an acting capacity. Im always reminded of Alexander Hamilton when he is her first secretary of the treasury of the Commanding Officer which is the predecessors coast guard. Secretary hamilton issued these in 1791. He said in part they will always keep in mind the countrymen are free men and as are impatient of everything there is a market that will therefore refrain with a discarded circumspection with a part of this. That seizure by his friend officials and operations today. Something that will guide and its important to have the opportunity to lead the tsa. The federal government and travelers every day rightfully expect screening with minimum delay by government officials who treat them with respect. I worked allegedly with the entire tsa workforce to ensure they meet the standard of the most balance demand that security guaranteed in our constitution. In closing i think President Trump and secretary kelly for the confidence my ability to the tsa. Chairman thune can distinguish the members of the committee a thank you for your courtesy in the process and for the opportunity to appear before you today. I look forward to answering your questions. Thank you, admiral. We appreciate the willingness to serve in what is a critically important position. We look forward to working with you to meet the challenges we had ahead of us. Let me start by asking a question about the prechecked program that tsa in which the members of this panel participate. Its a valuable riskbased security measure providing x but i did check point for lowrisk custard travelers. The survey included a provision to strengthen tsas faltering effort to expand the application program. Since enactment, tsa has not implemented key elements required under the law such as soliciting multiple air in roman options are identifying a specific timeframe and longterm strategy for private sector market in prechecked. The question is do you believe its important to expand prechecking roman opportunities for the traveling public somewhere trusted travelers are finer skies in the tsa can therefore focus on the screening. Mr. Chairman, yes i do. I think its a terrific program. About 5 million travelers are involved in prechecking we added the other programs to get up to 8 million people. But that only accounts for 18 or 20 of the traveling public, which is way too low in my opinion. If confirmed i want to take a close look at recommendations the committee is made and do everything we can to make enrollment easier for people, encourage enrollment and incentives as they go through. To follow up as we commit to filling directors from Congress Regarding in a timely manner and updater committee on how tsa looks and precheck under your leadership. Yes, sir. I commit to that. Tsas primary focus has been Aviation Security. Threats continue to evolve and open environments such as train stations. If confirmed, how would you seek to address these security challenges about passengers and commerce . You were reminded nearly every day now at the risk and transportation mode and also the risk in aviation mode and from my perspective if confirmed i would absolutely break this approach to lean how resources are allocated among modes of transportation. When i look at the risk in any transportation mode i look at three things. I look at the threat, vulnerability and consequences that occur. I can see the vulnerability and consequence the on the transportation side. I dont yet have the intelligence briefing that would help me evaluate the threat i intend to do that or he quickly if confirmed and take a close look at how many users of mass transit and i think we need to reassure ourselves a very dynamic threat picture and make sure we apply resources. Historically tsa has expressed difficulties retaining fulltime officers. Staff levels fall by 4600 block passenger volumes during the same time. They approximately 15 . If confirmed, what confirmed, which he do to increase retention rates for tsa . If confirmed, looking at retention rates and overall Job Satisfaction, is one of my top priorities. At the front lines are the frontline of our organization. They interact with the American Public day in and day out with millions of interactions. I think continuing the effort in that regard would be very appropriate, providing training, some sense of what a career path in tsa would look like another elements of of Homeland Security as well would be very important. For my dues, having worked with a widely dispersed workforce and the coast guard of similar size, its important for top leadership to be present with the workforce to understand the challenges they have accomplishing their job and to support them in good procedures come as the air and put them technology out there, but really understand the challenges we are facing. An attrition rate that approves 12 the fulltime workforce cost a lot of money and also reduces the effect that said the agency because it includes the experience base Going Forward to increase retention are absolutely top priority. Recent terror threats resulted in a bin on kerry on Electronic Devices for individuals traveling from select airport to the United States. As i noted in my opening remarks some of the debate about whether to expand and demonstrate the urgency to work with her aviation partners can quickly deploy Security Technology to combat the latest threats. Unfortunately currently takes tsa many years to evaluate, procure and deploy new technologies. How will you prioritize deploying the latest Security Technology quickly and effectively and will you work with congress to bring the ideas for private sector experience including ways to tsa could improve its efforts. I would absolutely work with congress to bring the private sector experience to the table. A different perspective in the private sector in a number of ways that tank Government Agencies can be much more responsive and get better value for private sector work. The tsa as i understand how stood up and Innovation Task force, looked at areas of technologies to put in place locations. This is showing real promise from what i understand. Experience in the coast guard innovation is significant and i would bring the areas to tsa and accelerate the work of the Innovation Task force and put my full support behind it if confirmed, but also looking for input from the tsa work horse and stakeholders that tsa is how we can improve our processes. In the coast guard would receive an awful lot of good recommendations and basically crowd sourcing methodology if you will. I would like to bring some similar system like that in place in tsa if confirmed to get input and how we can better process. Mr. Chairman, senator booker has an appointment he needs to make it but he deferred to him for the question. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Ive been really concerned with the 9 11 report they talk very specifically about the urgency around Rail Security and our country, but i havent seen a coordinated plan coming out of tsa about allocating asset to rail safety and Rail Security. In september 2016 and a series of attacks carried out in new york and new jersey, including minutes including type on the amtrak and new Jersey Transit and elizabeth, new jersey. Readers at that time who worked diligently. They located the type bombs and removed them. It is really lawenforcement in the new jersey community, but really underscores how vulnerable many ought to be threats. I dont believe we are even complying with the direct as they came out of the report and it seems often we are fighting the last terrorist attack as opposed to looking at forward. If he would have been in europe were a number of attacks are focused on your rail transportation in the incident in brussels with highlighting the need to address surface transportation security. Can you describe some of the ways tsa under your leadership can address security threats of surface transportation specifically with my concern about rail transportation in our country. Yes, sir. If confirmed i would put effort in tsa to looking at intelligence in particular. Tsa has an exceptional intelligence analysis operation. Its very well coordinated overall and has a good job looking at the threat we just dealt with. I place a lot of emphasis if confirmed looking at the threat for rail. In the great communication with the rail operators and the local Law Enforcement around the key rail transportation so you can understand the sources of an permission we could all benefit from. I would place a lot of emphasis on focusing intelligence to make sure weve taken a good hard look at this and understand the risk. Specifically the report was way back in 2007. Congress passed legislation requiring the tsa to implement recommendations of the 9 11 commission. What is frustrating that some of those have languished since 2007 like the training. This is an area of significant frustration when i came to the United States senate to see them not being fulfilled. Can you ensure we have more front and employees, even just the allocation so dramatically weighted towards air travel, which is critical and important. They indicated concerns and it seems to me, but there is requirement for reporting of a plan but it seems to me we should have a better resource. I am looking for a commitment on implementing the specific 9 11 requirements in the congressional legislation in 2007. Yes, sir. You have my commitment to do that. It would be happy to report back to confirm. Im grateful quickly Port Security is obviously something part of tsas mission. Would you commit to assuring me they will have the resources and support to ensure secure movement of freight . Yes, sir. Tsa works closely with the coast guard of which im familiar. I had oversight in the port of new york and new jersey and have a permit to taking a hard look at that to make sure that tsa and coast guard coordination is what we would expect it to be. No need to respond. Im hoping aspects enter critical. I want to thank you for your willingness to continue to serve your country to an extraordinary commitment. We dont get the gratitude they deserve but i want you to know im grateful you are putting yourself up for this position and are willing to subject yourself to questions like these. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, senator booker. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Admiral, first of all i appreciate the time you spent with me and other members of the committee. Everyone knows how significant this is. I shared some experiences i had with the coast guard and the area you are involved in. Even when i had a little airplane around the world i saw myself going from coast guard station to coast guard station because i knew it their missions were. I think it would be worthwhile to see the things because before it was popular, they were involved in this. But the coast guard has been doing and following that up on what you were referring to 9 11. The postcard in general. I think its almost a perfect training ground. Similarities between what the coast guard does and what tsa does is striking how similar and they both rely on a risk based approach that the right place at the right time. The lawenforcement agencies, regulatory agencies. Both are of scale. Coast guard 50,000 plus individuals and smaller stations. Tsos in the federal security staff throughout the nation 40 some odd nations. Both of the department of transportation, originated. Both organizations rely heavily to get ahead of the next threat so we are there. So i think it is a really good fit. To go to the chairmans question earlier, when you look at the tsa air force, how can you invest more heavily in the workforce. My experience traveling over all the years that ive never had a bad experience at a Security Check point. I respect very much the work that they perform day in and day out. What i think is needed is more investment in individuals and training and also leadership over all of the organization. Tsa is 16 years old. What i bring from the coast guard is a perspective of what a cultural looks like they can be Rapid Response to a change of threat that can empower people at the lowest levels they are facing the American Public and are the ones that make the decisions they been successful fair year overall. Im looking forward to joining the tsa for us if confirmed. With respect to with respect to security commit tsa has issued a look overall. They ensure better coordination and some standardization sql across the country at some basic level. This thing could work done as well. I was going to ask you to elaborate. As we can all remember it was a Beautiful Day here in washington d. C. We had several meetings in the morning. But early in the middle one of the meetings we had the first report across the tv monitor and from there on it as a followup response trying to assess the impact of whats going on. A couple hours of the first attack, we saw and heard the impact on the pentagon building. I can remember driving home, driving right by the pentagon to see the pentagon with smoke coming out of the structure was incredibly impactful for me because you really got to see in real would have been. I learned a lot by watching admiral lloyd respond to that incident. They demonstrated an inner crisis when youre called on you have to respond, have to be really at the top of your profession and doing it. Both of those gentlemen were. The reason they bring it up is most of that experience in the southern tip of texas in the stations. Every time we have had some type of event that come up for their secret with a terrorist attack would things youll be doing in your job. Theyre the first to respond to it. Ive been down there in a season. My time has expired. Theres a lot of people out there and some little old ladies being transferred and make it ready for media and later on as this progresses. Look forward to working with you. Thank you. Likewise. Thank you. Admiral, to defeat again. Thank you for taking the time. 9 11 i was working and that has shaped by interactions here locally in the state of nevada and how we should be responding in concert with terror attacks around the world. I appreciate your comment. I want to jump back to the budget. Can we talk about that. You have to work in an environment where theres budget cuts happening. I will tell you im concerned about the impact those budget cuts are going to have on the mission of the tsa. As a matter of policy, can you talk a little bit about your divine canine units and how valuable those are to the missions that tsa. I know we are including. Can you talk about that. Im a supporter of canine teams. They are incredibly effect that detecting what theyre trained to detect. Also important in some ways and where the canines are present. It deters behavior and might signal a behavior detection to notice an individual working name is operating. In the coast guard, we had canine teams. A very small number. I will place high emphasis on canine capability. Its a very good investment for tsa. A good investment for the country. The challenges they take a lot of time to train them. They were trained for many years. With respect to the budget cuts, we are cutting tsa agents for the exit lane staffing. Can you address that . How about go through . Is that going to impact your mission and how we fill that gap . Senator commit thank you. The budget was released back in may. If confirmed, i will get together with the rationale behind some of those budget action and may commit to you in this committee that as you do your work in the appropriations process and review process as the senate and house do, we will be responsive to information you need to make judgment with respect to the budget. I hope youre an advocate against any old bags and unfortunately use to build a border wall or take away from the mission of the tsa. I hope you can commit to this. Thats a key aspect of my job and had the capabilities we need to perform and there will be tradeoffs and affordability issues always. Can you talk about the federal level versus those at the local airports and how you envision a relationship moving forward. Obviously, what you do impacts many of our communities. How do you plan on developing a relationship and what you think it should look like. Senator, thanks for the question. They understand what they do day in and day out and how tsa. I will spend a great deal of time for transportation security writ large. I want to know the partners. I know what issues they have and i can consider that. Its important to have good relationships in advance. If there is an incident where something happens, having a relationship is important. I would invest important time in getting to know the Transportation Systems and having a good relationship. Thank you. Finally as well your tsa officers have discretion. I hope you would be committed to adopting written policies and procedures and help guiding the discretion for this tsa officers in recognizing the importance of guiding that discretion. Yes, senator. I think its equally important that her officers on the frontline have a degree of discretion. When i was a much younger officer i appreciated the discretion to organization gave me but i have guidelines i needed to follow. You need to make instant decisions and i want to work for us to know if confirmed that they have discretion within those guidelines. Thank you, admiral. Thank you. Thank you David Pekoske for being here today. The faa extension bill is included as steps to the Pilot Program at the airport and screening checked points to include throughput. Tsa announced it is moving forward through implementation of a new Security Check point with innovative Screen Technology that had the potential automated travel document checkin process. The exciting possibilities and could mean a significant difference in airports. And continue implement Pilot Programs and other airports across the country. What is the checkpoint look like. Some of those ideas. I would be too made northstar at the will for the future of the organization if you could align your personal strategies, Acquisition Strategies to get to that goal. I agree with you 100 that the more we can try some things out. We should be willing to try some things out and if they dont work as envisioned, we look at something else. A lot of airports like others around the country that has been pretty great facilities that allow the testing projects to occur with a lot of opportunity to see how they can work and see how they can combine tsa airport initiatives. If you travel there, youll see the great halls where they do the screening. The upper level here where you can kind of stand and take pictures looking down at everybody going through the checkpoints. Take a look at whos doing what when it comes to security screening and pictures of the monitors at the xray machines do their work. We recognize the might of other around the globe they need to make some security changes at the airport. They are working on advanced secure technologies, talking about moving the main terminal building and i like tia to make sure the checkpoints are adequately funded i applaud their mission. Thank you. In the tsa budget request with funding for Law Enforcement programs which reimburses airport with the Law Enforcement efforts that they put towards the funding to complement security presence. The airport have expressed concerns the cuts could hurt the ability to have two key places safe and secure. If confirmed would you review the proposal . If confirmed, i will certainly examine the proposal to eliminate funding. Secretary kelly testified on this recently and when the screens were established they were never intended it was intended to be a boost when it was starting a period i understand the rationale with the budget and take also of. Senator nelson. Just a couple questions here so we can get on with our members to ask. Tell me, i mentioned in my opening remarks that the Administration Proposed budget cut the teams. Since you are appointed by the administration, how are you going to get around this other than us increasing the vipers team in the legislation . Connect the Budget Proposal reduces from 318. Theres still some teams present. I worked in the past and i understand the value they provide not just to Aviation Transportation security, but also Service Transportation security. I will work hard to understand if the cuts are implemented how tsa would best implement those inquiry made very closely with stakeholders. At the end of the day, but i want to make sure the appropriate process and make their own assessment of what is in the budget. I hate to put it this way, but we have to save you from yourself. Last year, weve doubled the number of pay per teams on the legislation and everybody agreed with that. I was not a controversial issue and now the president is taking the current vat before theyve ever been doubled and is cutting not en masse just not going to stand. Its going to be us rescuing you to not only doublet as to what was provided last year, but increase further. There is nothing like a dog as a deterrent, particularly in areas where people are queuing up outside of security. Yes, sir. I agree with the risk of large congregations of people in any public space and what that presents. I would say i do think they have a very good effect on security. I just i feel i cringe that you have to support the president s budget because you have to when in fact everybody in this room knows that it ought to go the other way. Let me ask you about the dhs Inspector General had covert testing of the tsa passenger screening technologies and the results are classified, but dag described the results as troubling and disappointing and tsa airport screeners failed to detect explosives and weapons nearly 95 of the time. The dhs ig has announced he is now in aged another round of covert testing. So what was you, when you get to be administrator do the correct deficiencies that are noted in the ig report. Yes, sir. One of the first things ill do is read the ig report. I havent been able to read the classified sections of the report. I know it exists in st and the mentioned, sir. I would just say above that i appreciate the work the ig is doing. Its a valuable thing in tsa operations and i take to heart the recommendations but we look closely at the classified section. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I would give the opportunity to the member. Thank you, senator noll soon. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you for your willingness to serve. A great background and are wellqualified and i look forward to supporting your confirmation. Your quote firm Alexander Hamilton in your written statement. Not wise to just you, but all of us. It is very useful in Public Service and the privilege we all have been serving our fellow american. I appreciate the focus in this hearing in terms of personnel and retention and morale of the workforce. I live in anchorage a few tsa officials literally a couple times a week and we have outstanding men and women, at least in my state in anchorage and fairbanks throughout the entire state. I think addressing morale issues as you say your young agency of i. Know you have to get a sense for these right now and you want to do that. I think its critically important to make sense right now and experience in the coast guard the coast guard is that its critically important that the top leadership of an organization understand, walk in the shoes of their frontline employees. Its important for frontline employees know you have their back. You provide some guidance, seek their input as how you do your job paid when they perform the job, you stand behind those individuals. As you know, everything is captured the officers have all the guidance provided to be properly backed up by the leadership throughout. For me it would be showing keen interest in what they are doing. When i was in the coast guard i spent the majority of my time in the field trying to understand how the mission was performing. And more perfected that performing at. Great. Thats an important focus. We talked about a number of areas in terms of security. I want to highlight three and get a sense of how you would prioritize these. Weve talked about air travel and senator nelson just mentioned the whole issue of soft target outside the security perimeter, which i think is a big issue. Senator bucher talked about a lot. The chairman talked about mass transit on the also share their concerns. Alaska doesnt have the mass transit but it certainly looks like it is potential for a soft target in the terrace can take advantage of. One that does impact may say that id like your views on its infrastructure thats one of the most important pieces of Energy Infrastructure in the country. So how do you prioritize those three different areas, air travel, mass transit on the ground and Critical Infrastructure when youre looking at your job responsibilities. Thats a significant challenge. We apply the same principles which is what tsa dudes doing right now with the risk this approach to how resources are allocated. Is there enough attention not just the traveling elements, transportation elements of the responsibilities that tsa . Be my guess, sir. Thats one of the answers i want to get it confirmed to make sure its looking across the entire Transportation System and you got to have an effort to focus on all that you can make riskbased judgments Going Forward. I would like your views on that and i look forward to supporting your confirmation. Let me finish with dhs moving forward with implementation of the real standards for air travel 2018 mst for their way through compliance, how do you foresee getting ahead of trying to mitigate what are found to be in some circumstances already happening passengers, confusion and frustration at airport screening checkpoints that are going to result . Yes, sir. If confirmed, communications is critical to make sure folks understand through the worst thing that could happen is somebody shows up to the airport to try to find the information and couldnt find it. Its absolutely critical. Or they know theyve got to come to the airport. Yes, sir, so they know whats acceptable at the airport. Having to focus on that is important so we can mitigate across with that implementation. Senator sullivan. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Pekoske, thank you for your willingness to serve. One of the largest growing airport hubs in the last three years was designated to handle about 25 million passengers, blaster handled 45 million passengers and will continue to grow. The issues of how a plan for security and efficiency are very critical for us. Weve had many conversations at tsa towards all of this and has committed to adding additional staffing as the season demands. I hope you would continue to do the same thing. Amicus, senator, i would. Will definitely be following on details. The k9 unit and their effectiveness to me post what has happened in International Airport in her own facility. You mentioned deterrence, which i love the fact that the k9 units can have deterrence in the outer perimeter which is a great added layer of security and not so they can halt make for a more expedient line which is one of the ways we handle seatac. If youre built for 25 million in your handling 40 million, you need some tools. One of the ideas we have been lucky not because nationally we need about 300 to 500 more k9 units and the training does take a long time. Certification takes a long time. Just for the record i know some airports are anxious. Our airports willing to pay for this. Seatac acing the cost effectiveness in the security aspect of it. And just as they pay for other airport improvements theyre willing to pay for this one. Its not letting the federal government offered any hook. They are just willing to help you with a capacity issues. So i hope some of our colleagues would look at that as well and discuss with tsa disability. There is no better ability. No better security than dogs that we can get. Their ability to detect explosives, people talk about what happens in brussels. That a k9 unit would have been able to target that activity well in advance. I cant emphasize enough how much i think we need to make this investment so thank you for your willingness to do the same. Thank you. Thank you, senator cantwell. Senator blumenthal. Thanks, mr. Chairman. Thank you for your service, and appreciate your being here this morning. One troubling area of threat around the world and certainly at our transportation facilities is the use of everyday implements, vehicles in causing the kinds of mass attack we have come to associate with other forms of weapons. The use of bands post recently in britain and brussels. I wonder if you could share with us your insight as to how those kinds of attacks and be prevented, if they can be, what tsa is doing to research this area threat and how you are working with other agencies. Senator, i dont know specifically how tsa is dealing with this kind of threat right now but if confirmed i would certainly take a very close look at that. Im going to make an assumption though based on what i know about intelligence operations in my coast guard experience is there looking at threats writ large across the board and closely quart needing with federal, state and local coordinating agencies to gather information and also through social media to see whats on social media so they can get ahead of what might be chatted about on the world wide web. So i commit to that i will take a very close look at that to ensure the intelligence is probably focus, if confirmed. Well, i hope you will. Its obviously an area of great urgency, and we can focus on the tsa screeners at the airport. And by the way i want to join in thanking them for the service as they do the coast guard. I tried to thank the tsa screeners at the airports where i go. I have a feeling i am in the minority of people they see expressing my appreciation. That certainly they are very dedicated. They have tough work to do and to perform an enormous service and you will be providing them with leadership. And i want to say that two years ago i asked your predecessor at his nomination hearing about the task that senator booker raised the task of our rail and transit network, its a vulnerability and the recommendations of the 9 11 commission. He committed to completing the task of requiring railroad property, have plans in place and avert terrorist attacks at our rail and other transit facilities. Now we have a new administration and now the rules unfortunately are still languishing. But making that as worse than tw administration has pursued a regulatory freeze and a hiring freeze which may have been taxed on the ongoing effort to implement these programs. So my question to you is, are you committed to completing these congressional mandate . Yes, sir. Im committed to going back and reexamining what the mandate is i understand completely and getting a very thorough assessment as to where tsa is with respect to meeting those commitments. This is an law so it something that tsa is bound to comply with so i will take a very close look at that, if confirmed, and that i would like to get on your schedule to come back and talk to you about it. I apologize that my schedule prevented us from getting together before now, but i would welcome and certainly very good to sit down with you. Let me ask, finally, in the short remaining time that i have, last month Homeland Security secretary kelly said in an interview, television on fox, and im paraphrasing, that passengers are trying to avoid checked bag fees, cramming their belongings into carryon bags. That makes it harder for the tsa to screen bags, and the full quote is people trying to avoid the 2the 25 or 50 or whatever s to check a bag are now starting to carry on bags to the point, well, they cant do anymore in there, so the more you stuff in, the last tsa professionals that are looking at whats in those bags through the monitors, they cant tell whats in the bag anymore, into court. Would you agree with that assessment . I was a guilty as charged. I do the same thing. I watched the screeners try to make sense of what have in my briefcase because ive got a lot of things in there, and i know its incredibly difficult for them to do. They do a very good job of trying to discern which oftentimes that refer to a supervisor to validate some of the conclusions that they might make but i agree with you that theres an incentive to bring your back with you and, therefore, you put everything that you can in the back and it makes it harder for the scooters. So i also think if confirmed we ought to look at the algae that might enable us to see better, which is bags and no thats what passengers doing. There is a lowtech solution, which is to eliminate the bag fee. Right. And eliminate a lot of the incentive for people disrupting everything they own into the bag. Thats kind of obvious and the only reason it hasnt been adopted is the airlines are making money from it, a lot of money. As a matter fact, senator markey and ive written to secretary kelly seeking additional information, and hope that we can follow up with both you and him on this issue and i wish you well in your new role as a connecticut native, and raised in sully ten. We would welcome me back. Hope you come back to visit us. Thank you, sir. And the Coast Guard Academy we spent, hopefully a number of happy years. I did. Except for the first three months of living us a very happy. It was a great experience and i was assigned in connecticut for two years. Many members of my family are still in connecticut. Thank you, sir. Let me know when t you get there. Thank you, senator blumenthal. Senator peters. Thank you, mr. Chairman. In recent years i know a number of airports have been substantial investments in some of their infrastructure in order to deal with safety, but the threats continue to get more complex. You are also getting increased threats in nonsterile areas as well. I think theres a tremendous need for additional security improvements from an infrastructure standpoint throughout airports. But i prefer airports in my state of michigan that when you talk to the faa about funding airports, security initiatives in the individual airports, the faa always says its the responsibility of the tsa and when they go talk to the tsa, tsa says its the responsibility of the faa. So they are fighting this kind of fingerpointing back and forth pretty frustrating as i do and im a member of this committee with the tsa and also a member of Homeland Security committee so were going to try to work through this and find out how we can coordinate better to make the necessary improvements that we need to make. Right now im working on legislation that will allow airports to use the passenger facility charge that they click for security Infrastructure Projects, and id like to hear from you if confirmed, would you confirm that tsa does its part to help the airports with security Infrastructure Projects . Yes, sir. If confirmed, one of the first things to do is to make sure that people are brought to the table and talk to each other, and airport bring the tsa follows, director of the faa lead in the airport and Airport Authority together have a conversation as to what each others roles and responsibility are and expectations. I do think they can all alike and find a path forward. What i will commit to you is i a look at the issue. Im not familiar with the funding streams that would be associate with that but i will take a look at it given that you phrased it and get back to you. I second question, the grant program, something you probably are not prepared to answer now, but if confirmed is that something that you put some effort into . Yes, sir i would definitely take a look at that. Do you support the house proposal that would redirect Airline Passenger security fees which are right now used to offset unrelated government funding, would you support bring that back to Aviation Security purposes . I support Adequate Funding for tsa over all, and however the funding arise whether its through fees or through appropriate funds come as long as i get the funding that is needed to provide the security that we are charged in law to provide. Im happy. The faa extension included a number of provisions to respond to Insider Threats and improve the screening of airport workers such as requiring that recurrent vetting of airport workers as part of the fbis rap back program. The detroit Metropolitan Airport has been very proactive in implementing these requirements and have even gone further by rebadging all 18,000 employees every year establishing a thorough and standardize inspection process for all the deliveries that a come into the airport as well which is a way to get contraband and dangerous articles into the airport. What programs and improvements to help to implement to address the issue of Insider Threats, if confirmed . Insider threat is a significant issue and a think about a good work has been done in that regard. One is to increase the random screening of airport workers, not to the point yet of 100 screening. Some airports some airports do that on their own, but from a tsa perspective as i understand it to increase the random frequency at which those workers are checked the other thing as i understand from my briefings with tsa to get ready for this hearing is they are trying to reduce the number of checkpoints so that access point to the airport are few in number so that you can have greater control over the flow of workers back and forth. Very good. As you know the tsa screening passengers by Observation Program is designed to identify and engage individuals who may be high risk on the basis of their actions or verbal cues that tsa officers are watching. And i know it is been an Important Program for the detection and deterrence of individuals but i also know there are folks who believe that can lead to racial profiling as a whole and i have heard individual complaints from folks, take a in the greater detroit area with a large muslimamerican community that i represent there. And although i am aware that Ben Gurion Airport in tel aviv is one of the most secure airports in the world at the implement of right of these techniques there. It is a balance that we have to make. But im curious as to what your thoughts are on the tsa screening passengers by Observation Program. Do you think it is working and how would you improve it, if confirmed . Yes, sir. I dont have enough information to be able to assess whether or not it is working. Its information i would get, if confirmed, etiquette in the agency to better understand it. As i understand it though from public reports, behavior detection officer function has been embedded with the regular tsa workforce as well which makes to meet a lot of good sense because you have more eyes looking at passengers as their going through. I i do think id appreciate your comment about racial profiling, profiling of any nature. Thats just dont do. I think you get a report or a complaint in that regard you need to look into it quickly to make sure that if it did happen, that you quickly adjust your procedures and your trading to make sure it doesnt recur. But, unfortunately, that will happen on occasion turkey just need to look at it quickly and address it right up front. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, senator peters. Senator hassan. Sorry. Senator klobuchar. Senator klobuchar is back so she is next. Okay. All right, we will spend all our time going back and forth. Mr. Pekoske, thank you so much for being here, and important work that needs to be done here. We recently had an all send a secure to breaking a threats to Aviation Security. You are probably aware that including the recent laptop ban on flights from the International Airports. As the tsa administrator you will receive screening travelers and baggage for over 1. 8 million passengers a day and 450 of our nations airports. Given your military service and your experience in operational leadership, what do you think of the Biggest Challenges associated with Aviation Security . Senator, the biggest challenge in my view is first and foremost the training of the tsa workforce and the support of the tsa workforce. Those are the individuals who do an outstanding job in my view and if confirmed, i would look for to join them in this effort but they need to have guidance that makes good sense. Im not saying they dont have it right now. Its just something i would look at because i havent been privy to that at this point in time. And also the discretion to make judgments on their part when they see something that might not fit for them. Thats very much a coast guard model. Replace authority at the point of Service Delivery in the coast guard and give our young petty officers officers allow discretion how the apply the guidance we provide. Thats important for the tsa workforce as well plus is an individual i cannot like it. I like people to give me some leeway into how i do my job. So for me an an absolute focus n the workforce. Secondly, would be focusing given workforce the tools to best do the job and thats the Innovation Task force afghanistan tsa has and is producing good results. Putting the technology in place that will make them more successful in their jobs, to give example of the individual that screens carryon baggage. When you look at the screens, if you get a chance to glimpse of vanity that screen, its very hard to discern good versus bad within that image. So providing some very equipment to make that job better and more effective for those individuals i think its critically important. Right. I would also add just the new technology that we keep, debuting something at the minneapolis airport, delta is doing it and atlanta with facial recognition, and then also has some self checking of backs. It looked complicated. No. Bubut i think its good to try w things and i dont really mean that. Its probably a good thing. But just trying to find the new things. I knew talked about teams and a point that is. At our airport when we have this huge line, nightmarish weight and were able to speed it up, we were able to do some new things, it was a big change. That leads me to the efficiency issue. According to u. S. Travel association, reducing tsa waits foyou can do it without compromising security, which is of course our number one goal, security. And it could generate an additional 85 billion in travel, which of course means a lot of jobs. Which carries a tsa operations do you think opportunities to reduce travel or house without compromising the security . One of the key ways would be to bring more people into the trusted Traveler Program whether its through precheck or global entry. That would be critical to improving the flow. But when you do that you get more people into the tsa precheck lines. You have to make sure you process them to the lines expeditiously as well because you can have a longer queue in the precheckpoint and having a Standard Life and expect people to want to do that. I think that bring you more people into those kinds of programs is really, really important. And i know i think senator blumenthal may have asked you about this, but the federal hiring freeze, how will the partial continuation of a hiring freeze affect our Homeland Security . As i understand the tsa budget, the impact on a hiring freeze will be mostly felt on the support in the tsa. And that helps the operations continue but it does have, ive watched this dynamic in the past and a Coast Guard Service, some point you cant trim support to deeply because then you start to affect the ability of the frontline forces to get the job done so its a very careful balance. You and i had a good discussion about that morale issue as well. Last question, general aviation industry. We have serious that makes just in minnesota and they use do them in south dakota. Many of the tsa existing security guidelines rely heavily on the general Aviation Community to detect the reports of suspicious activity. For this strategy to be effective it is important that pilots at airport personnel know who to contact with security concerns. What steps would you take to work with the general Aviation Community to improve security . First off, if confirmed i would make sure they know to go. I think thats pretty important. The federal security directors as understand the structure have responsibility for some of the small airports. The director in my view ought to be a visible presence on occasion at small airports so people put a face to an name and know who it is. Really appreciate your answers. Thank you very much. Now senator hassan. Thank you, mr. Chair. Admiral, it is very nice to see again. Thank you for taking time to come by my office. I appreciated your willingness to do that and our conversation very much. I would just add my voice as we talked a little bit about in that meeting to the request that you will take a look very closely at the impact of baggage fees on the way we do business and the cost to tsa. Because the other concern i have during the concerns of my colleagues is that as people work to keep all the belongings with him to avoid that these come it creates a lot of congestion. We have more bags to check in with taking a cost to tsa on this perhaps should be borne by the airlines. I would love it if you continue to look at the impact of baggage fees on our securities as well as convenience and operations. Which leads me to another issue that we touched on, and colleagues have touched on here. We know that weve seen a number of troubling instance of violence in the public areas of nonsterile areas of our airports, the los angeles incident in 2013 in which an active shooter killed five people, sorry, where an officer was killed and then it was the fort airport or five people were killed in a baggage, airy a year ago a suicide explosions occurred in the public areas of Brussels Airport and istanbul, killed 61 people. And you heard questions from my colleagues about the reductions to grants and local and state Law Enforcement in the budget. What i would ask you to think about is that the soft areas of airports are really important. The basic understanding i have of security, its always better to push the threats farther away. And so i will tell you as a former governor, if the local and state grants go away, youll see personnel reductions at our airports. Its a fact because there just are not the state and local budgets to match. It may have started out as a boost to help people get up to speed after 9 11 but we are dealing an evolving threat all the time, and you need to change and coordinate across the country in our air traffic system is really an important one. I would ask you, you were not part of developing this budget. I would ask you to stand up for the principle that we have a National Interest in protecting the soft areas of our airports and their parameters, and that we really do need to help our local and state folks be partners with that. So i just hope you commit to look at that closely and standing up for the principle. Yes. I will look at all the things youve ask you to look at. Tsa as understand has helped some public area which are designed to look at the framework is established for public Area Security and then kind of talk to individual of our situations how the various entities, long forstmann, Public Safety, tsa would respond, for instance, i think its really important to continue to exercise your the other thing i would mention is the use of was called advanced screen planes which is if you look at the screening process that are bottlenecks. One of the obvious bottlenecks the as pastor is when individuals looking to try to discern whats in your checked bag. The other one is as passengers try to put the bags in the conveyor belt, some take longer because theyre not as mayor might have Different Things in the bags. And so these advanced screening rates which i think win16 airports as i recall about the country allow the process to move faster as well. That would be very helpful. The other thing i wanted to talk on and i was at another hearing so i may have missed somebody else asking this question but i wanted to touch on, as i understand the fa extension bill from last Congress Help to increase the bidding of use airport workers in order to prevent against Insider Threats and you talk a bit about that. We obviously theyll dont have complete authority over foreign airports in two recent attacks one of mogadishu International Airport in somalia in 2016, and one at Charlotte Shaikh airport in egypt in 2015, foreign airport workers were believed to be complicit in aiding the attack. From your perspective do you think foreign airports especially those that appoints a blessed departure to the United States are effectively screened the workers in order to root out potential terrorist threats . Great question. I dont know the answer to that. I havent delved into that but if confirmed i will look at that. I know thats also something secretary kelly has looked at with respect to the laptop they. Thank you very much and thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, senator hassan. Senator capito. Thanks, mr. Chairman. And thank you, admiral pekoske, for taking this i think daunting challenge really on and i will be supportive and thank you for the visit to my office when you in my office we talked about not only your long and very admirable coast guard history, which im very much in awe of come we talked about k9 teams, something that ive become very interested in. In april when we passed legislation as tsa to build a riskbased strategy the bill included immediate expansion of additional k9 teams because they are such a reliable source. I dont know if youve addressed this issue before i got into the room but countries to know what your perspective on the effectiveness of k9 teams would be but also i know some of work with a Capital Place that the resources to acquire and whether theres enough k9s to actually fulfill the desired needs is another issue. So could you just address that issue and i think that would be very helpful in terms of all aspects of transportation, not just in allies but in the perimeter and more people are getting dropped in lines dropped off to the airport. If you could talk about that. Thank you for your time in your office. I greatly appreciate the time you spent with me. With respect to k9s i had some express with k9s. The coast guard us used a limitd number in their Maritime Safety teams. From my perspective they are incredibly effective at detecting whatever it is the k9 is trained to detect. Importantly they are also very effective in deterring. People see a k9. That either caused some behavior that people might notice or cause a person who might be think of doing something to not go through with the base on the canaan. I think you are right that the supply k9s is limited and it takes as i understand it about a year to get the team trained, the handler and the k9. Senator, senator cantwell asked me down at Lackland Air Force base in that something im open to exploring if i confirmed is to look at other sources, provided they meet the same standard. But i agree with your comment completely that they are very effective at what they do. I would like, you touched on this a little bit as ive listen to your testimony, but i think at least my impressions on certain occasions of going through the lines at the airport, that, this isnt a universal thought but i would imagine the challenge of the morale, you know, a tsa agent on the frontline writer has to be pretty patient because you have elderly people, kids, people have never been to a line before. Youve got people are mad because their flight is late and they have an attitude and then you have everybody else, and may begin been waiting in line for 15, 20 minutes and they are tired of it. But i am concerned about the morale issue. How do you propose to address that, and has there been a deep dive into what the actual Job Satisfaction of a tsa agent is and what improvements could be made . I learned over in my Appropriations Committee that believe it or not, park Service Personnel dont like their job if we always think wiki and a National Park would be something everybody would like to do. So im curious to know, i think this is an important issue to be effective. I couldnt agree with you more. Its one of the most important things for potential administrative tsa to look at. Its critically important the workforce use me as, if im confirmed as someone who understands the challenges they faced day in advance beyond what a normal passenger going to the line will see. I accept your point that its a hard job and ye jet to be rightl the time. But i would reemphasize what the workforce, what to do so critically important. I think they need to be reminded of that date in the debt because i think if you do it they inundate you might lose focus. They are in many cases the last line of defense for somebody getting to our security process. They did check is not much of a Security Check at all. So i would, if confirmed, spent a lot of time with the frontline workforce and make sure Everything Else tsa does enable set frontline workforce. They are the ones in the face of tsa. Theyre the ones providing direct security, both for aviation and First Service defecation in terms of guidance and support and inspections. I want to make sure they are as supportive as a need to be to get the job done, pressured by the leadership and leadership that understands completely what theyre dealing with. So really Good Communications and present i think are important. Final thing i would add is top leadership interest is one thing which have to interest throughout the entire line of leadership within the organization. Their firstline supervisors the complete engaged with our employees and really trying to find out what will make them become more engaged in the workforce for unconcern with the survey results i seen some reports i sizzle. I appreciate that. Just a final comment. Know you will be, i know youre going to be confirmed, after confirmed im sure youll be traveling across the country to make a fortune or i would encourage you to go, and im sure you will, to go to the smaller rural airports to see the different challenges, and also to see how successful they are at meeting the challenges that they had in the smaller regional airports. Thank you very much. I look forward to doing that. Start in south dakota and west virginia, checking out the small airport for all the Parks Service in place are very happy. Its in minnesota that they are not happy. [laughing] i think thats everybody that we have, admiral. So again, welcome and we appreciate so much your remarks this morning and your response to our questions and willingness to serve our country in this very important role. And we hope to be able to move your nomination fairly quickly, and so given that, we are going to keep the hearing record open until this friday, june 23. In the next couple days if senators can get their questions for the record, submitted as quick as possible and if you could respond as quickly as possible would like to be able to have you on our markup agenda next week. So i think with that, again, thank you. We appreciate your cooperation, the cooperation of all the members of the committee, and with that this hearing is adjourned. Thank you. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] and if you missed any part of this tsa confirmation hearing or would like to review parts of it or in its entirety you can watch it on our website at cspan. Org. Politicos reporting Senate Republicans have been beating to start the within process for obamacare repeal. Gathering for an earlier a repeal that will be successful. According to the sources. Majority leader mcconnell currentaccount to repeal obamacare is far short of 50 votes. There is still no bill and even republicans are moaning about the rush and lack of transparency. The plan to jam to a bill over the next ten days amounts to a rare Political Risk by Mitch Mcconnell with no guarantee of success. And when the could jeopardize his Senate Majority longterm if the bill inset being viewed as poorly as a housepassed bill which is a 17 approval rating. Regardless of the outcome of the meeting, the boat is still planned for next week. Heres some of yesterday senate debate. Mr. President , i want to start by thanking my colleague from new mexico, senator udall for his advocacy on behalf of of the pieces and parts of her Healthcare System that are so important to the state of newra mexico. Things like rural hospitals, hope your treatment, indian country, he is then an equivalent chicken and thats part of the reason why both of us come to the floor today given whats at stake. Last month President Trump and