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March 5, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E271 to be instrumental in keeping inpatient serv- 3rd so that we could meet with local officials The Aviation and Transportation Security ices here through cooperation with other and first responders to assess the damage for Act, passed by the 107th Congress and stakeholders, and we are equally as proud to ourselves and lend a helping hand to our signed on November 19, 2001, established see this new facility come to fruition. friends and neighbors wherever it might be TSA just 2 months following the September The new facility is a state-of-the-art hospital needed. Because of our decision to return 11, 2001 attacks. with emergency and surgical services, fifteen home, I was absent for votes today. The urgent need to provide a response to inpatient rooms, an infusion clinic, MRI serv- I missed Roll Call vote number 87. Had I the available security threat was facing meant ices and other imaging services, a new cafe- been present, I would have voted ‘‘yes.’’ that much of the work to provide administra- teria, gift shop and more. This eighty-seven I missed Roll Call vote number 88. Had I tive structure and integration measures that thousand square-foot facility will be an asset been present, I would have voted ‘‘yes.’’ would have woven in the civil service protec- and treasure in the Hornell community. I missed Roll Call vote number 89. Had I tions now be added did not occur at that time. I cannot thank the doctors, medical profes- been present, I would have voted ‘‘yes.’’ The TSA’s mission is to protect the nation’s sionals, board members, administration and I missed Roll Call vote number 90. Had I transportation systems to ensure freedom of other staff members enough for the work they been present, I would have voted ‘‘no.’’ movement for people and commerce. do in the Hornell community. They have saved f The work of the TSA is a frontline Depart- ment of Homeland Security and it is not lives, provided excellent care for a plethora of RIGHTS FOR TRANSPORTATION easy—it can in fact be very dangerous. years and we are all grateful in the Twenty- SECURITY OFFICERS ACT OF 2020 Third Congressional District of New York for Like many of my colleagues, I recall the the work they do each and every day. I con- SPEECH OF shooting incident at LAX that killed Gerardo gratulate St. James Hospital on the new facil- Hernandez, who became the first TSA officer ity and wish them many more years of extraor- HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE killed in the line of duty; and the machete at- dinary healthcare services. OF TEXAS tack at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans Given the above, I ask that this Legislative IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES International Airport that resulted in injuries to Body join me to recognize the dedication of Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Senior Transportation Security Officer Carol Richel. the new St. James Hospital in Hornell, New Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise to These incidents only highlight the difficult York. speak in strong support of H.R. 1140, the work that the men and women of the TSA f Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act must perform each day to keep our nation’s of 2020, which will create civil service protec- PERSONAL EXPLANATION airports and flights safe. tions for TSA employees that are long over- The Department of Homeland Security due. (DHS) supports several key parts of the U.S. HON. KIM SCHRIER H.R. 1140, mandates the conversion of all coronavirus response. OF WASHINGTON covered employees and positions within the The TSA is responsible for: enforcing the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Transportation Security Administration (TSA) travel restrictions for all flights that are car- Thursday, March 5, 2020 to the provisions of title 5, United State Code. rying individuals who have recently traveled The bill represents a longstanding priority from China; notifying passengers and travelers Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I was trav- for Chairman THOMPSON, the bill’s author, and of risks of contracting the virus; and coordi- eling to Washington State to help officials and my own as a former chair of the Homeland nating with air carriers and airports to discuss my constituents best prepare for and contain Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Trans- COVID–19 (coronavirus). government actions and seek input (TSA). portation Security to extend the rights and pro- Allegations about mismanagement, wasteful As a result, I missed Roll Call vote number tections afford to all federal government em- 87 regarding the Cisneros Amendment to H.R. procedures, retaliation against whistleblowers, ployees to TSA personnel. low morale, and security gaps within the 1140. Had I been present, I would have voted Several versions of the bill have been intro- YES. Agency are causes for concern. duced over the past decade, but this Con- TSA has consistently struggled with low mo- I missed Roll Call vote number 88 regarding gress is the first time the bill has received my amendment offered by Representative rale across the workforce, ranking 303 out of overwhelming, bipartisan support, with 236 co- 305 government agencies in 2016. MUCARSEL-POWELL to H.R. 1140. This amend- sponsors including 10 Republicans. ment would ensure that TSA officers have the Low morale has a nexus to the high turn- The legislation curtails TSA’s broad authori- over rate within the ranks of Transportation proper guidance regarding prevention and pro- ties to create and control its personnel sys- tections against the coronavirus. I thank Rep- Security Officers (TSOs). tems, instead requiring TSA to abide by the TSOs represent 70 percent of the TSA resentative MUCARSEL-POWELL for offering this provisions of title 5 which regulate personnel workforce, yet have been denied full collective amendment in my absence. Had I been systems for most Federal agencies. bargaining rights, whistleblower protections, present, I would have voted YES. The bill would provide TSA employees with and opportunities to effectively raise issues in I missed Roll Call vote number 89 regarding the workforce protections and benefits avail- dispute to an independent third party, such as the Republican Motion to Recommit on H.R. able to most other Federal workers. the Merit Systems Protection Board. 1140. Had I been present, I would have voted The bill sets forth transition rules to protect Additionally, TSOs are subject to a pay and YES. the rate of pay and other rights of TSA em- performance system that does not track with I missed Roll Call vote number 90 regarding ployees during a transition to title 5. the General Services (GS) wage system, the final passage of H.R. 1140. Had I been The bill also requires the Secretary of primary wage system for Federal workers. present, I would have voted YES. Homeland Security to consult with the appro- It is past time to make the changes provided f priate labor organizations to carry out the tran- by H.R. 1140, so the TSA workforce is treated sition. PERSONAL EXPLANATION equally to other federal employees with the This bill does not affect prohibitions against power to advance and expand their opportuni- disloyalty and asserting the right to strike ties as government employees. HON. JOHN W. ROSE against the federal government. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for OF TENNESSEE The bill also extends the timeline for the H.R. 1140. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES transition from 60 days to a more realistic 180 days, and it contains language to protect em- f Thursday, March 5, 2020 ployees with grievances or disciplinary actions PERSONAL EXPLANATION Mr. JOHN W. ROSE of Tennessee. Madam pending during the transition. Speaker, on the night of March 2nd into the On the morning of September 11, 2001, HON. LLOYD DOGGETT early morning of March 3rd, several tornadoes nearly 3,000 people were killed in a series of OF TEXAS struck Middle Tennessee, inflicting severe coordinated terrorist attacks in New York, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES damage and taking numerous lives. Most of Pennsylvania and Virginia. the devastation occurred in my congressional The attacks resulted in the creation of the Thursday, March 5, 2020 district, the Sixth District of Tennessee, includ- Transportation Security Administration, which Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, with yes- ing my hometown, Cookeville, TN. was designed to prevent similar attacks in the terday’s storms in Texas, my early morning After careful consideration, my family and I future by removing the responsibility for trans- post-election day flight to Washington was de- returned home to Cookeville, TN, on March portation security from private entities. layed, preventing my arrival before the VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:35 Mar 06, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A05MR8.024 E05MRPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REMARKS.

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