Workplace morale among tsa agents. This is 90 minutes. Good morning. Today well consider the nomination of admiral david picoski to become the next administrator of the tsa. Having spent 32 years in the coast guard after graduating from the Coast Guard Academy in 1977, admiral picosk sichlt a well qualified nominee to become the next tsa administrator. His leadership experience ranges from serving as the commander of the coast guards pacific area in Coast Guard Defense forces west where he was in charge of all coast card operations in the western hemisphere to becoming the 26th vice commandant of the u. S. Coast guard in 2009 where he served as second in command, the chief operating officer and the component Acquisition Executive of the coast guard. Admirals nomination to become tsa administrator comes at an important time. Security threats remain a persistent challenge for both aviation and Service Administration and were tasked with protecting the modes and ensuring the movement of people and commerce. Since the creation by this committee in response to the 9 11 attacks, the ts sachlt subject to extensive scrutiny by congress, public and media. The tsa is criticized for issues like the ease with which testers from the Homeland Security and the Government Accountability offense have been able to smuggle contra band through screening checkpoints as persistent problems with large acquisitions. In spite of the challenges, the previous tsa administrator made significant positive changes to the agency. Some of which include shortening wait times during last summers travel season, improving technology at checkpoints and creation of a trade aing academf workers. He hope he can apply his extensive leadership skills to solve the challenge thats remain should he be confirmed. The Congress Committee has been active on Aviation Security. Last congress the committee passed the most comprehensive reforms to ts na in the decade from 2016 which addressed the challenges posed by unauthorized access to secure areas of airports, expanded access to tsa precheck and attempted to optimize check point operations. Earlier this year, however, the Congress Committee held an oversight heerg which dhs and the Inspector General testified that challenges still remain with regard to many of these issues. Inspector general ross testimony said there are vulnerabilities regard together vetting of employees, ensthurg employees have access to areas and the trouble of lost ar access badges. I hope that you can make progress if addressing the persistent problems raise bid Inspector General ross. As he committees the work with tsa to improve Aviation Security, its important to incorporate the perspectives of stake holders. The Congress Committee held a hearing to highlight stake holder perspectives. One of major themes is the need for a risk base approach to security as well as better collaboration between tsa and industry to promote innovation. The agency is drawing considerable attention for exploring the possible expansion of the ban on personal Electronic Devices such as laptop compute oernz flights the United States from certain last point of departure airports. Security while the secretary of home land security signaled that such a move may be unnecessary this is a good example of an issue where stake holder collaboration is critical to the development of solutions and implementation of security proet kolz. My hope is that admiral pekosk thachlt worked to create a culture at tsa that embraces innovative approaches to security. A long standing challenge for tsa has been adopting a cross cutting risk based approach to security across all modes. In april the Committee Held a markup on the surface and Maritime Transportation security act which i introduced with Ranking Member nelson. Our bill would direct tsa to conduct an analysis across all modes of deployment, require the tsa a portionst bunt on the basis and establish a Surface Transportation Advisory Committee similar to the aviation stake holder vizry committee. The bill is report the favorably with bipartisan support and we continue to work to ensure the eventual enact ment. I was able to meet with you last week in advance of this hearing. I believe that if confirmed he will provide important strategic and cultural couldnt neutral to the tsa in the same manner as his distinguished predecessor. I strongly support his nomination and i hope we can move quickly to confirm him. With that, i turn to senator nelson. Thank you, mr. Chairman. And i join in by reference agree 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 members of this committee are very proud of the coast guard. And since he had the whole west coast that, includes down to American Samoa all the way up to the baring sea and the arctic area where the coast guard basically takes care of all of that area. One thing that we might look at in this ever changing scene of technology and the threats to the Transportation Safety is that wherever people bunch up, thats a soft target. And we found, unfortunately, wi brussels and london that that is outside the secured areas. And some place i was the other day i think it was at Grand Central station. As people were getting ready to form the tlline to go through t gates to get on the train when the train arrived and they dont let you go in until the train has arrived. I was thinking at the time, i mean, this is a bunch of americans all massed up together. And this is stuff that youve got to worry about. Because its all part of our Transportation Safety. Surface transportation and the security of that surface transportation has been underfunded and unfocused. And the fwhal were looking at aims to fix that by enhancing risk based security. Retiring 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 sea ports. Now the bill does something very, very important. That is it adds 200 canine teams. And that is not only a powerful technological thing because nobody is able to reproduce the sensitive sniffing of a dog. But it also provides a very psychological deterence as well. And on the faa extension which passed a year ago, it included bipartisan provisions to better guard against terrorism threats and improve security screening. I will just say in conclusion that i think the people that had advised the president were not giving the best advice when they recommended cutting the dog teams in the president s proposed budget. Once youre in the position, admiral, you need to make what you know to be true. Were trying to increase the number of canine teams called viper teams. So i thank you, mr. Chairman. Lets hear from the witness. Thank you, senator nelson. Were welcome to David Pekoski from maryland. He is here to be assistant secretary of tsa. So admiral, please proceed with your remarks and we look forward to the conclusion of those asking you a few questions. So please proceed. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Good morning chairman and Ranking Member and the distinguished members of this committee. It is a privilege to appear before you to day as the president s nominee to lead the tsa. I am honored to been nominated by President Trump for this position and if confirmed, i look forward to the opportunity to work with secretary kelly, deputy secretary duke and the entire team of the department of Homeland Security. My first comments are in strong support of the tsa. They all work to ensure the security of our system and works tirelessly to earn the trust and respect of the american people. Their work is critical to the security of our aviation and surface Transportation Systems and they have in my opinion done an outstanding job if protecting us from an ever present and very dynamic threat. It is my privilege to join them as the administrator and bring my leadership, skills and experience to the effort of securing our home land. Tsa could not accomplish the mission were it not for the strong partnerships they have in the state and local agencies and the airline industry, Government Services industry, airport owners and operators and international partners. Throughout my professional career, i have seen firsthand the importance and enormous value of strong partnerships and professional relationships. This is the extended tsa team and it will be my privilege to join them as well in our collective goal of ensuring transportation security in the United States. I had the high honor of serving our country in the coast guard most of my adult life. Im forever grateful to my coast guard colleagues in my leadership. I have extensive experience in Counterterrorism Operations and leading a large operating federal agency that uses risk base manage ment. I was on the coast guard commandant side on 9 11 when the attacks on our home land occurred. Ill never forget that day and the day thats immediately followed. I was privileged to remain as the executive assistant when the tsa and department of Homeland Security were established. In the summer of 2004 i served adds the lead federal official for mayor time security at our first two National Political conventions since 9 11, the Democratic National convention in boston and the republican National Convention in new york city. Both were National Special security events and our security operation as cross all federal, state, and local agencies were very successful. Strong partnerships among Public Safety agencies are absolutely critical and are very high priority for me. I served as the assistant commandant of coast guard headquarters and regularly participated in discussions with the National SecurityCouncil Staff and the operations dputives the other military services. As commander of the pacific area, i was responsible for all coast guard operations on the west coast of the United States, alaska, and hawaii. Given the vast expanse of the pacific and our National Strategy of increasing emphasis on operations in the pacific theater, our work closely with the coast guards of russia, china, south korea, japan, and canada. Im a strong supporter of International Engage ment and International Standard setting both can contribute substantially to the security of the United States. As the coast guard i served as the vice service chief, chief operating officer and coast guard Acquisition Executive responsible to train, equip, and organize a Coast Guard Force of 50,000 people. I was the executive champion for the coast guard innovation program. The most established programs in government. Should i be confirmed as administrator, innovation is one of my key focus areas. I think its critical and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of tsa operations. Following my Coast Guard Service i joined a mid Market Company in the Government Services industry. My experience in the private sector was very valuable i learned how government can be a better consumer of private sector expertise and support. My experience in the coast guard is directly relevant to the position of tsa administrator. Today we face a multitude of threats persistent. We know that certain terrorist organizations remain focused on commercial aviation and disrupting the freedoms we enjoy as an open society. Staying ahead of the threats and ensuring that appropriate measures are place will be our most significant challenge. It will be my honor to serve in what i consider the most challenging jobs in government. My overarching goal is to leave the tsa in an ever stronger position as a provider of security for our Transportation Systems, especially aviation with a strong and growing level of Public Confidence in the Agencies Mission performance. I will articulate a clear vision for tsa to ensure all of our efforts attribute to the achieve ment. I want to confirm for as long as the praenz the secretary wish me to remain in this position. I think leadership continuity at ts sachlt very important. If confirmed, i would be the 13th administrator in 16 years when you include those in acting capacity. Im always reminded of a quote of hamilton when he was the first sec of treasury issued instructions to the predecessors of the coast guard. He issued the instructions in 1791. He said in part, they will always keep in mind that countrymen are freemen and as such are impatient of everything that bears the least mark of a domineering spirit. They will, therefore, refrain with the most guarded circumstance um inspection from whatever has a semblance of insult. I think that sage advice from our countrys founding father as pliz to all federinvolved in la enforcement. It is something to guide me if i had the opportunity to lead the tsa. Tsa is the face of the federal government to millions of air travelers every day. The travelers rightfully expect efficient screening with a minimal delay by government officials who treat them with respect. I will work diligently with the entire tsa workforce to ensure they continue to meet the standard. We must balance demands of security with the imperatives of liberty guaranteed in our constitution. In closing, i thank secretary trump and kelly for their confidence for me ability to lead tsa and the distinguished members of this committee, i thank you for your courtesies during this confirmation process. And for the opportunity to appear before you today. I look forward to answering your questions. Thank you, sir. Thank you, admiral. And we appreciate very much your willingness to serve in what is a critically important position. We look forward to working with you. Let me start by asking a question about the Precheck Program at tsa which in which i and i assume a number of the members of the panel participate. But its a valuable risk based security measure that provides expedited check point screenings. Last year we include a provision to strengthen the faltering efforts to expand the precheck application program. Since enactment, tsa has not implemented key elements required under the law such as soliciting multiple private sector enroll ment options or identifying a specific time frame and Long Term Strategy for approving private sector marketing. So question, admiral, do you believe its important to expand precheck enroll ment opportunities for the traveling public so more trusted travellers are flying our skies in the tsa can therefore focus on screening high risk travelers . Mr. Chairman, yes, i do. Im also a precheck participant. I think its a terrific program. About five million travelers are enrolled in precheck. When you add in the other programs you get up to about eight million people. But thats only maybe 18 or 20 of the traveling public which is way too low in my opinion. I would if confirmed, i want to take a close look at the recommendation thats the committee made and passed into law. And do everything we can to make enrollment easier for people, encourage enrollment and make sure that the incentives are clear and evident for travelers. So thats the follow up. Will you commit to fulfilling the directives from Congress Regarding this program in a timely manner. Then update our committee on how tsa will expand precheck under your leadership. Yes, sir. I commit to doing that. Threats are continued to evolve in soft targets such as train stations. If confirmed, how you would seek to address the security challenges without impeding the flow of passenger ands commerce . And were reminded every day now of the risks in the transportation mode and the aviation mode. From my perspective, i would absolutely bring that risk based approach to weighing how resources are allocated among the different modes of transportation. When i look at the risk in any particular transportation mode i look at three things. I look at the threat of the vulnerability and the consequence should an incident occur. I can seat vulnerability and the consequence on the surface transportation side. I dont yet have the intelligence briefing thats would help me evaluate the threat. But i intend to do that very quickly if confirmed. And im a user of mass trans it. I just think we need to reassure ourselves of a vai very dynamic and very moving threat, picture and make sure that were applying resources in the right locations. Passenger volumes rose by 15 f confirmed, what you would do to increase the retension rates at tsa . This is one of my top priorities. The tsa workforce at the front lines are the front line o