Terrorists turned civilian aircraft into weapons, killing nearly 3,000 americans and injuring thousands more. Today we honor the memories of those who perished and those First Responders who ran into harms way to help their fellow citizens. The tragedy of 9 11 led to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration, tsa, within the new department of Homeland Security. Tsa is charged with protecting our nations Transportation Systems from attack and ensuring freedom of movement of people and commerce. Im pleased that acting deputy administrator Patricia Cogswell is here to update the committee on the progress toward achieving these goals. Americas Transportation Systems are designed for accessibility and efficiency. The enduring challenge remains how to respond to terrorist attacks without unduly burdening travel, the economy and civil liberties. Tsas workforce includes transportation security inspectors, federal air marshals and visible intermodal response teams. Congress has worked to support this dedicated workforce bypassing the first ever tsa reauthorization bill, the tsa modernization act. The modernization act includes provisions to streamline acquisition, expand the precheck program, support the Screening Partnership program, mandate more rigorous background checks of airport workers, strengthen airport Access Controls and enhance security in public areas of airports. Thus far, tsa has done an admirable job of responding to the myriad directives and reporting requirements of the bill. However, i remain concerned about the pace of tsas deployment of new screening technology. The rate of the precheck expansion, the seeming lack of urgency for implementing Screening PartnershipProgram Reforms and the absence of a skp comprehensive plan to integrate the registered Traveler Program with credentialed Authentication Technology systems. I hope our witness today will address the agencys progress. In addition to this act, implementation, the committee will also exercise oversight on reforms to existing security programs, notably the passenger screening teams. In february administrator piskasky briefed the committee on disturbing testing results from the ig and promised to revamp canine training. Improving todays front line security programs is important but tsa must adapt to changing threats and technologies. The committee is interested in emerging Technology Including biometrics. We understand that tsa has a biometrics road map, but we certainly need to view this in light of concerns involving privacy, Data Protection and civil liberties. So i look forward to a robust discussion today on the vital role that tsa plays. Madam Ranking Member, youre now recognized for opening remarks. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Let me also welcome acting deputy administrator cogswell for joining us this morning and thank you for all the work that tsa does in keeping us safe every day. On this somber date we remember the tragic and devastating events of 18 years ago, motivated by nothing short of an evil attack on our nation and the horrifying loss of life and dpre grief was unimaginable. In the last congress, this committee worked hard to complete the work on the faa reauthorization act of 2018 also including the First Comprehensive reauthorization of tsa since the agency was created shortly after the september 11th attacks. Our focus today is on the oversight of the agency as it continues its Critical Mission and seeks to implement the mandates included in last years tsa authorization, formally known as the tsa modernization act. The act focused on improving transportation security by addressing issues such as training and deployment of canines for screening of passengers and cargo, reinforcing efforts to intercept Insider Threats and expediting testing and deployment of new screening technologies and various organizations to ensure the effective leadership at the agency. I also want to note here i appreciate the good work of the Pacific Northwest laboratories in richland, washington, who add airports to the tsa millimeter wave scan who have worked on developing the tsa salute. Nonetheless, this overhead has given quite a security layer and yesterday had a chance to talk about the next generation of technology we will be deployed at airports. Both at our airports with individual travelers and our cargo containers, the Pacific Northwest laboratory continues to stay ahead on Cutting Edge Technology and we appreciate the work of our r d labs in helping us maintain security. I also appreciate your candor regarding a recent diversion of tsa resources to the southern border. I spoke to you about a letter sent by my colleague senator wicker and i about the diversion of those resources. My guess is well have a chance to ask you in this mornings hearing about that. Reports indicated at the time that there could be an additional 800 fams who would be deployed with the ultimate goal of sending 175 to support the cbp operations. We look forward to asking you about those questions this morning. As my colleague said, were here to review what we can do to make sure that the tsa remains a strong and viable force. I remain very interested in the canine units success and the further deployment of that as one of the Fastest Growing airports in the nation, the challenges of moving people and making sure were all secure is a very, very important daily task. Thank you for being here to address those issues. Thank you, senator cantwell. Senators on the floor will be observing a moment of silence at 11 this morning. And in connection with that, this committee will also be observing that moment of silence at the stroke of 11 just before votes begin. So be mindful of that. And ms. Cogswell, we are delighted to have you and were interested in hearing your opening statement. Thank you for being here. Good morning, chairman wicker, Ranking Member cantwell. Thank you for inviting me to testify about the work the Transportation Security Administration does. We appreciate the continued support of congress and are grateful for the productive relationship we have with this committee as well as the authorities provided in the tsa modernization act of 2018, the first reauthorization of us as an agency. On september 11th, 2001, nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the worst act of terrorism ever committed on american soil. From this tragedy we renewed our dedication to the ideals and freedoms that define our nation. 9 11 changed us all. Congress created the tsa just two months afterwards. 18 years have passed since the tragic events of september 11th. While Many Americans including some of tsas current employees are too young to have vivid recollections of that day, aviation and other modes of transportation remain highly sought after targets by terrorists, whose methods of attack remain more decentralized and opportunistic than ever before. Tsa must meet the challenge of threats in both physical and cyber realms. Im extremely proud of the 63,000 professionals who make up tsas workforce. Earlier this year a significant portion of our workforce including transportation Security Officers, federal air marshals, transportation security inspectors, canine handlers, vetting and intelligence personnel and support staff worked without pay for 35 days during the partial government shutdown. Through this incredibly trying period, our employees dedicated true professionalism and commitment to the commission despite challenges. We are grateful that members of congress continue to look for ways to protect our workforce in the event of a future lapse in appropriation. It was a very important year for the direction of tsa. Tsa developed its strategy through 2026 and its administrator intent to guide the execution. During 2019 we have focused on implementation. Tsa has completed more than 46 of the 180 requirements mandated in the act and 53 of those with specific deadlines. Completed statutory requirements range from a global Aviation Security review to creating an air Cargo Division and establishing a Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee. When the administrator testified before this committee, he described the efforts tsa was taking to rapidly advance tsas acquisition of screening systems and technology. Ct and cat allow tsa to potentially identify threats in less invasive and more automated ways. Thanks to the support of congress, tsa awarded a contract for 300 ct machines and 50 cat machines and is beginning deployment. Additionally, in 2019 we successfully conducted pilots at two airports, demonstrating tsa can significantly hire throughput for pure precheck only lanes. We are also encouraged by early results of an option we are testing that enables passengers to enroll via a mobile tablet at the airport. Consistent with the modernization act requirement, our federal air marshals into their concept of operations through a prioritized Mission Deployment strategy focused on high risk travelers and revised International Risk assessment models. Tsa plans to produce a road map to describe the way forward to mitigate insider risk. Tsa also recognizes strategic success depends on our workforce. We commissioned a Blue Ribbon Panel comprised of leaders with extensive Human Capital expertise to conduct a full review of Human CapitalService Policy and delivery at tsa. We have used the results of that effort as well as input received through the reestablishment of the National Advisory council to develop a number of workforce initiatives including twotier performance system, model officer Recognition Program and the career progression program. Tsas theme in recognition of 9 11 is honoring the memory, protecting the nation. We are confident through vigilance, collaboration with democratic and International Partners and the continued support of congress, we will all reach our mutual goal of not on our watch. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. I look forward to your questions. Well, thank you very much for your testimony. Let me start by asking about something that i dont think we saw in your presented testimony. Thats a Screening Partnership program. The modernization act included a number of provisions to enhance the Screening Partnership program, such as allowing Airport Operators to participate in the evaluation of sbp proposals. When will tsa finish developing this process, and are you currently briefing these assessments to every airport director . Thank you very much for the question. As you noted, a number of requirements related to the security Partnership Program which enables individual airports to choose to use contracted private entities to preferred Screening Services while still matching the quality and type of screening provided similarly as to tsa. We have already brought on board the majority of those requirements, specifically and probably the largest one being ensuring use of the full Cost Recovery that the federal government uses to evaluate the bids by the individual performance entities. At this point, we have already awarded three new contracts this year under the new requirements with a fourth one expected before the end of september. And we have several more scheduled for completion in early 2020. Are you briefing every airport director about this . Every airport director is very closely tied into the process by which we solicit the requirements and then proceed through the actual analysis and results. Okay. Now, a real id, its our understanding that tsa will begin turning away travelers that dont have real id compliant id cards on october 1st of next year. How is that going and do you have some contingency plans for obviously the people who are going to be caught by surprise . As you correctly noted october 1st, 2020 is the final implementation date for the real id act as implemented through regulation. Critically important to recall that the rationale and reason for that act in the first place was actually one of the recommendations coming from the 9 11 commission, noting that that was one of the methodins ud by the perpetrators of the attack. We are in incredibly close collaboration in every location around the country. We are working to get signs out. Weve recently started as every individual travels they will be notified if the document they are presenting at the time they come to our travel document checker, whether or not their identity document will meet the requirements post next year. We want to make sure everyone has the maximum amount of time they can in order to obtain either a real id compliant document or other acceptable form of identification such as a passport of military identification. Ive got my mississippi drivers license here. Are all the states compliant now with the drivers licenses that are being issued as of this date . 50 of 56 issuing jurisdictions are currently compliant. The six remaining are scheduled to be complete in the next year. Some of those are states . Two are states. Okay. Very good. Just seems to me that once those 56 jurisdictions comply, thats going to take care of almost everybody. I sure hope so. Is tsa precheck helping to make the lines shorter for everybody else . Thank you very much for that question. In fact, we see a profound change in airports where a significant population are precheck members in terms of the overall throughput for individual airports. As of right now, we have about 20 million individuals who are in the program having known traveler number. That includes 9 million directly enrolled with precheck, another 9 million members of cbps global entry population and additional populations that we use to bring in other additional populations who are screened through very highly controlled processes. At this point, we see nationwide about 20 of all travelers each day are precheck. 20 . A quite good number. We want to see it continue to grow. Does that help the other 80 . It does. Well, theres a requirement, non precheck passengers must remove their liquids. If youre precheck, this is relaxed. Tell us about that and whats the status of tsas deployment of computed tomography screening machines . And whats your anticipated timeline on allowing all passengers, not just precheck to keep liquids and laptops in their bags during screening . As you noted, one of the primary differences between the most visible differences between standard screening and precheck screening is the ability to leave your laptop within your bag. You can also leave your shoes on and light jackets. You dont have to take off clothing in order to go through the screening equipment. Thats great. As you have noted, one of the pieces we see that will help us get to the next stage is that tomography or ct machine. Those machines because of their much greater ability to gather additional sensor data provide us significantly enhanced ability to see within that carryon bag to look for items that might be threats. Meaning we have to have less dive divestiture. We are working with the makers of the equipment to look for what algorithms we can put into place that will get us to liquid. Im intruding on senator cantwells time. Whats your timeline there . We are still working to develop the algorithm to tell what type of liquid it is. A. I. Thank you. Senator cantwell. Senator cogswell i mentioned sea tack and its rapid growth. I noted that the site says that it was built in 1949 to accommodate a Million People. So the fact that were accommodating 50 Million People shows the stress and strain on the system and as we discussed yesterday, moving cargo is what we do in the northwest as well. So the security measures are of utmost importance to us and continuing to do a good job at the security layer as well as moving in a Cost Effective fashion. I want to ask you about the new rules for developing the canine units and for third party explosive detections. When will we see those, and what other initiatives are we pursuing to have fully trained teams available for deployment . And i also wanted to ask you about the diversion to the southern border, how many tsa people were diverted and what were the impacts on lines at airports across the country . So the program you are noting we refer to it as third party canine. We published the regulations last december and immediately began training teams. At this point in time we have 171 teams and 30 entities already performing screening, those private screening requirements at those private screening entities already operating today. We expect to see continued growth and volume in that space. Weve had a lot of interest in it. As to your question about southwest border on the canine point, is tsa pursuing other initiatives or do you think youre going to be more aggressive in just pursuing this third party stream . In addition to the aspect around the third party canine, we are also looking at the next round, next review, next enhancement of technology that could be available for use in screening of cargo. Similar to the same types of equipment that we use in checked bag toda