Western South Dakota News

U.S. Senators John Thune and Gary Peters have written a letter to Transportation Security Administrator David Pekoske, urging him to prioritize the expansion of the PreCheck program to underserved areas without accessible and secure enrollment options. The senators also expressed concerns about security breaches reported by CLEAR, an airport membership program that expedites the security screening process.

In the letter, the senators emphasized the importance of ensuring that TSA's Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements align with congressional intent to expand PreCheck enrollment opportunities in new communities, particularly in rural areas. They highlighted the need for innovative technologies and methods to achieve this goal.

"We are concerned that entities operating under OTA agreements are instead duplicating services already provided under the Universal Enrollment Services (UES) program," the senators wrote. They also requested more information from TSA on how they are ensuring that CLEAR and other OTA providers maintain the highest security standards before executing OTA agreements.

The senators commended Administrator Pekoske for his commitment to expanding PreCheck and acknowledged the program's vital role in enhancing aviation security and checkpoint efficiency. However, they expressed concerns about TSA's implementation of the TSA Modernization Act's language regarding the expansion of enrollment opportunities in underserved areas.

The senators pointed out that OTA agreements should be additive, not duplicative, of enrollment services provided under UES. They raised questions about the proximity of OTA services to existing enrollment centers and the lack of utilization of novel approaches or technologies, such as mobile or remote enrollment, which could greatly increase access to TSA PreCheck.

The letter also addressed the authorization of CLEAR to provide OTA enrollment services, despite recent reports of security breaches at airports where CLEAR operates under the registered traveler program. The senators called for a full TSA investigation into these reports and documentation of actions taken by CLEAR and TSA to address the issues before allowing CLEAR to continue providing enrollment services under the OTA agreement.

In conclusion, the senators urged TSA to focus solely on expanding PreCheck enrollment opportunities, especially through the use of new technologies, in communities that lack accessible enrollment options. They emphasized the need for OTA providers to adhere to the highest security standards to ensure the safety of the traveling public.

The senators requested a written response from Administrator Pekoske within 30 days, addressing specific questions regarding the expansion of PreCheck enrollment and the maintenance of security standards by OTA providers.