TSA Loose Change Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I stand in strong support of this bill, the TSA Loose Change Act, sponsored by my friend and chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Congressman Jeff Miller, and 42 bipartisan cosponsors.

The Committee on Homeland Security ordered this legislation reported during the 112th Congress and again this Congress, but this is the first time it is being considered by the full House. I am pleased to be here today to express my strong support for the measure, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, in the hustle and bustle of our Nation's airports, with millions of people traveling every day, it is no surprise that some travelers will inadvertently leave behind loose change at TSA screening checkpoints. That pocket change may not add up to much at one airport, but when you total it across 450 airports, it amounts to half a million dollars every year.

TSA is currently authorized to keep the money for its own use, but the agency has been slow to spend it, and already receives $7 billion towards its operations ever year. I believe this bill is a unique opportunity to put that loose change to better use by spending it on airport centers that provide our military heroes with a more relaxing and comfortable experience while they travel. What better time to make this change than during this busy holiday
season when servicemembers are traveling to spend time with their loved ones?

According to the CBO, this bill will not have a significant impact on the budget in any given year, given the modest amount of money involved. Supporting our military servicemembers and their families is a goal we can all get behind, and this bill represents a commonsense step toward that objective.

Earlier this year, we passed the Helping Heroes Fly Act, sponsored by the Congresswoman from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard. That bill is already making a difference for wounded warriors traveling through our airports, and H.R. 1095 is another chance to further our commitment to our U.S. soldiers.

I commend Chairman Miller for sponsoring this legislation, as well as my colleagues on the committee and across the aisle for their support.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. McCAUL. I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank Hudson, Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Richmond, and Ranking Member Thompson. I am proud of the work we have done on this committee.

At a time of intense partisanship and acrimony, we have conducted ourselves very professionally and in a bipartisan way. I think when it comes to national security issues that is precisely what we should be doing. It is what the American people, as Chairman Hudson said, expect and deserve.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this bipartisan, commonsense bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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