Rep. Correa look forward to working with you. The subcommittee is meeting to look at one year later, the tsa modernization act. The chair is authorized to decode the subcommitteedeclare the subcommittee. I want to thank you, member lesko, and distinguished witnesses for joining us today. Congress enacted the First Comprehensive reauthorization of the tsa known as the tsa modernization act. The act incorporated substantial number of bills and provisions that originated in this committee. It stands as a testament to the committees longstanding bipartisan efforts to connect oversight of tsa. I thank my colleagues, ms. Watson coleman and his chapter mr. Cap no, i should say, for leadership in advancing legislation and congress that will carry on those efforts with Ranking Member lesko in this congress. The tsa modernization act enhances and improves our nations transportation security. Too comprehensive to describe in detail in a few minutes we have, but i would like to highlight a few key points. First, the act established a fiveyear term for the tsa administrator to provide stability to the agencys leadership. Andy, the current chaos leadership vacancies within dhs have undermined those efforts. The administered or has been forced to wear two hats, acting as tsa administrator and dhs deputy secretary. I commend the administered for answering the call to duty, for the role of tsa administrator is a fulltime job, and requires fulltime dedication to ensuring the security of our transportation system. I hope the president will nominate permanent leaders to vacanciesof the dhs and provide tsa with a stable leadership that congress envision when it passed this legislation. In addition to establishing the administrators term, the tsa modernization act pushes tsa to enhance Strategic Planning efforts, and secure public areas of airports and Services Transportation systems and improve the security of air cargo transportation. S implementingtsa the many directives and reporting requirements of the legislation as well as the tsa transparency in updating the committee on its progress. Although tsa made significant progress on implement the act, i am still concerned that tsa has not yet complied with the provisions that present the committees biggest priorities in this act. In providing late this Committee Report and recommendations to reform its personal management system. As you know, the subcommittee recently highlighted issues facing the tsa workforce at its hearing in may. Officersation security serve on the front lines of our transportation system, yet are among the lowest paid workers in the federal government. They are also not afforded some of the basic workplace protections that most other Government Employees enjoy. Improving working conditions for these officers is key to tsas evolution as a professional National Security agency. I look forward to hearing more about the status of this important report. Im going to ask at this point unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from the American Federation of Government Employees. Second, tsa is substantially late in providing a strategy that was due in february regarding plans to open curcumin process to a Wider Network of technology companies, including participation of Small Businesses. Tsa relies on a small number of vendors today to provide many of the screening technologies in use at airports nationwide. As you know, Small Businesses in particular face difficulties in competing for tsa awards to limited curcumin cycles, high cost of civic limited procurement is cycles can high cost of implementation. I look for to hearing what steps tsa is taking to ensure these processes are open and fair to all. Finally, tsa is overdue in providing an assessment of potential enhancements to surface transportation security. As you know, mass transit and other service Transportation Systems are particularly vulnerable to terrorist attacks, and it is important that she is a privatized completion of these were tsa prioritized completion of these requirements. Tsa must come into full compliance of the tsa modernization act as soon as possible. Once again, i would like to thank tsa and the gao for being here today, and i look forward to a conversation. Without them i would like to with ofis conversation that, i would like to ranking rep. Lesko for the opening statement. Rep. Lesko thank you, mr. Chairman. I want to welcome as well representative dan bishop from north carolina. This is a great committee. You are going to enjoy it. Very important. I want to thank the witnesses for being here and the tsa officers and other employees that are here from tsa and dhs. Thanks for being here and participating. I am pleased that the subcommittee is meeting to oversee implementation of last years bipartisan reauthorization of the transportation security administration, the tsa modernization act. Terrorists continue to target surface and Aviation Transportation in ways that are constantly evolving. The tsa modernization act recognizes this reality and provides direction to the agency at a critical time. Importantly, this legislation marks the firstever reauthorization of tsas and the since was created tsas the agency was created in 2001. Doing, Congress Fulfill its constitutional role to provide oversight, account ability, and action to the government and the resources appropriated to protect the traveling public. The tsa modernization act took measurable steps to update many offices and programs within tsa and made agency more prepared for current and evolving threats to transportation security. Some of these provisions include the establishment of a fiveyear term for the tsa administrator, authorizing the use of thirdparty explosive detection canines for cargo screening, providing Additional Resources and support to the federal officer program, and outlining new enrollment objectives for tsa precheck. Now, a little more than one year after enactment, it is prudent for our subcommittee to echo the bicameral bipartisanship that facilitated the passage of this landmark legislation, as we examine how effectively tsa has worked to implement the law. I commend the administrator, who is currently serving double duty as the acting director acting deputy secretary of the department of Homeland Security, for working closely with congress on this legislation last year, and for his teams dedication for providing regular briefings to the relevant committees on implementation status. This work, along with congressional oversight, has resulted in 87 of the laws actions for tsa either being successfully completed or on track for successful completion in a timely manner. For many of these provisions, gao serves as the committees watchdog on implementation and its review of tsa programs, offices, and security mitigation efforts. So i am pleased that they are represented here today as well. I look forward to hearing from tsa and gao about the status of outstanding provisions in the law as well as what the agency has accomplished over the last year in fulfilling its statutory requirements. Thank you, and i yield back the balance of my time, mr. Chairman. Rep. Correa thank you, ms. Lesko. Other members of the subcommittee are reminded that Opening Statements may be submitted for the record. I want to welcome the panel of witnesses. Our first witness, ms. Patricia cogswell, is the acting deputy administrator for tsa. Tsa, ms. Joining cogswell held several leadership positions within the u. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and dhs, including has acting undersecretary for the angels intelligence and analysis four dhs intelligence and analysis. Our next witness, william russell, works for the government accountable in the Office Enforcement seymour he is responsible for transportation security. Mr. Russell has over 17 years of experience at gao and was previously an assistant director in the contracting and National Security acquisition team. Without objection, the witnesses. Its will be inserted in the record. And now i ask each witness full statements will be inserted in the record. And i might ask each witness to submit their statement beginning with ms. Cogswell. Ms. Cogswell good morning, chairman correa, Ranking Member lesko, nesting wish members of this committee. I want to express our appreciation for the continued support of congress for the productive relationship we have with the subcommittee and as well with the Government Accountability office, as well as the authorities provided by the tsa modernization act of 2018. Implementing the tsa modernization act is a priority for tsa. Im grateful for the invitation to testify about our efforts to execute these authorities. Since its creation following the september 11 attacks, tsas ongoing commitment to ensuring transportation security has enabled public and commerce to continue trumping securely and freely. 18 years later, the reality is that Transportation Systems remain highly valued targets for terrorists and their methods of attack on more decentralized and opportunistic than ever. Aa must meet the challenge of pervasive and constantly evolving threat environment, and both the cyber and physical realms. In meeting this challenge, tsas most important asset is its people. I am very proud of the 62,000 dedicated professionals who make up our workforce and every day demonstrate our core values of integrity, respect, and commitment. Together, the efforts of our workforce secures and facilitate transportation for an average of 80 59 passengers, 2. 56 billion and cargo, and critical transportation infrastructure around the country. Earlier this year, a portion of our workforce went without pay for 35 days during the government shutdown. Despite suffering financial and personal hardship, they demonstrated professionalism and commitment to transportation security measures. We are grateful to congress for continuing to explore ways to prevent this from happening again, and stand ready to help you in achieving this goal. 2018 was a very important year for gsa and its direction. Not only did we release our strategy and administrators intend to highlighting our Strategic Priorities of improving security and safeguarding Transportation Systems, accelerating action, and committing to our people, but the tsa modernization act became law, the first reauthorization of our agency. 2019 has been the year of and limitation. We have conveyed through meetings with this committee, subcommittee staff, and a tsa has implemented more than 60 of the 180 requirements mandated by the act and 72 present of a specific device. Pleated requirements include conducting a Global Security your cargoating and division, establishing a Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee from initiating a Pilot Program to test the technology for air cargo, executing an automated exit lane technology Pilot Program. Consistent with the tsa modernization act requirements on project and moments and limiting the use of precheck lanes, those with known traveler numbers, we have successfully conducted two pilots ensuring the feasibility and throughput for tsas use of precheck only lanes as well as the future lane experience model, where passengers designated lower risk would receive alternative screening procedures. Risk andg to evaluate assessing Technology Policy and procedures in place to address that this case critical to our mission execution. Recent examples of where we have done so as to with the modernization act include updating the federal air marshal concept of operation through prioritized Mission Deployment strategy focused on highrisk travelers and revised International Risk assessment models, as well as implementing changes to address risks including establishing an aviation severity advisory committee, subcommittee on Insider Threats to assess ways to improve airport worker control. Tsa plans to produce a roadmap for mitigating insider risk in all modes of transportation. Tsa also recognizes the strategic success depends on our workforce. Tsa commissioned a Blueribbon Panel of public and private sector human x with to review capital policy and policy processes and ess our National Advisory council come which is comprised of advisors from our uniformed workforce. Through recommendations from these groups, tsa developed workforce initiatives we are implement such as our twotier performs system and career progression. Chairman correa, Ranking Member lesko, members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to test o testify before you today. Tsa is grateful for the authority provided by the monetization act and is committed to implementing them as quickly as possible. I look forward to your questions. Thank you, ms. Cogswell. I would like to recognize mr. Bill russell to summarize his statement in five minutes. Mr. Russell good morning, chairman correa, Ranking Member lesko, members of the subcommittee. Im here to discuss the tsa modernization act of the it included provisions intended to improve aviation security, screening technologies, oversight of passenger screening processes, surface transportation. The act included a number of provisions to review the gao progress. It summarizes pastorate and observations from ongoing work in assessing tsas actions for areas. It shows that tsa has made progress for provisions under the act to improve in a number of areas. First, in terms of International Aviation security, tsa took steps to strength and assessments of foreign airport operators. Since artisan 2017 report, he is a further enhanced airport assessments by capturing better data on vulnerabilities so they could be effectively mitigated. In addition, the act included a provision for gao to improve security for airports to former countries that offer last point of departure flights to the u. S. Tsa may issue new security directives for domestic aircraft carriers and emergency commitments for foreign cameras vulnerabilitys indicate an immediate need for air carriers to implement additional security measures. In our view of the process we found that tsa did not fully defined how to coordinate with industry representatives prior to updating directives, which can lead to some difficulties in and learning needed changes. Implementing needed changes. Tsa had not fully determined whether to counsel on corporate longstanding security directives into air carrier security programs in full accordance with tsa policy. We made several recommendations. O address these issues the modernization act also included provisions related to oversight of passenger screening will. Tsa developed screening will by considering current intelligence and other factors to identify passengers that may require enhanced screen. In our forthcoming report, we got that oversight of this process has improved. Tsa coordinates will reduce through quarterly meetings and notifies an expanded set of tsa stakeholders of rule changes has called for under the act. We also found that while tsa tracks some data related to rule implementation, it is not comprehensive limoges rule effectiveness. We reckon comprehensive we measure rule effectiveness. Reviewing thisy recommendation. In terms of screening technologies, we review the process used by tsa to deploy those technologies to airports, and in our forthcoming report we found that tsa considers risks in its deployment decisions but has not fully documented them. Importantly, we found that after screening technologies have been deployed to airports, tsa does not fully ensure that these technologies continue to meet the detection requirements, even though performance of the technology can degrade over time. We made several recommendations to address these issues, and tsa is currently reviewing them. The act, we review the tsa Public Security efforts. Tsas management of key aspects of the pipeline security can be improved, although coordination of pipeline operators is good. For example, tsa can better evaluate the number of staff and resources to devote the pipeline security and to include the strategic workforce plan that can help it effectively identify skills and competencies such as cybersecurity expertise necessary to carry out responsibilities. Tsa concurred with those recommendations to address the issues and has efforts underway. In conclusion, tsa has taken important steps to improve security in response to the modernization act. Additional actions will be needed going forward, and we will continue to review tsa progress to implement the remaining portions of the act. Chairman correa, Ranking Member lesko, this concludes my prepared remarks. I look forward to your questions. Rep. Correa mr. Russell, thank you very much. You have a minute left. Mr. Russell thank you. Rep. Correa i thank all the witnesses for their testimony and i will remind them that he or she will have five minutes to answer questions from panels. I would like to recognize myself for the first set of questions. The first one is for ms. Cogswell. Congresshe tsa act, codified a fiveyear term for the administrator of tsa. The current administrator, mr. Pekoske, is wearing two hats, one as the administer and the other as acting secretary. Given his dual roles and duties, who is running daytoday operations at tsa . Ms. Cogswell thank you very much for your question. As part of his redesignation and position as the senior official performing the duties of the deputy secret