Bill Requiring Biometric ID Standards to Secure Nation's Airports Introduced in the House

The bipartisan leadership of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and other committee members have introduced legislation to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish biometric identification standards for use at the nation's airports and require the use of biometrics for law enforcement identification credentials for police officers carrying weapons onboard commercial aircraft.

The introduction of H.R. 4914 coincides with the release of the 9-11 Commission's report, which recommends utilizing biometrics to strengthen security at the nation's airports.

H.R. 4914, the Aviation Biometric Technology Utilization Act, would require DHS's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to issue, within four months of enactment, guidance for the use of biometric technology in airport access control systems; and would require TSA to begin issuing, no later than December 31, 2004, a law enforcement officer travel credential that incorporates biometrics and is uniform across all law enforcement agencies.

"This bill is a step in the right direction and will help improve the security of our nation's airports and airlines," House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) said. "H.R. 4914 is consistent with the 9-11 Commission's recommendation that the identity and background of transportation workers should be appropriately authenticated through the use of biometric based identification and access control badges."

"Many airports are willing to deploy biometric technologies, but are reluctant to do so until the Department of Homeland Security issues guidance and makes clear what types of biometric systems will meet its standards in the future," Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John Mica (R-Florida) said. "Someone at DHS just needs to make a decision, and the rest will fall into place."

"Security badges and picture IDs can be forged or stolen," Committee Ranking Democrat Rep. DeFazio (D-Oregon) said. "If we're going to be serious about security at our airports, we need to employ biometric technology. This legislation takes an important first step by establishing standards for airports to follow. In addition, by establishing a biometric credential for traveling law enforcement officers TSA can further tighten security while testing the use of a universal biometric ID at airports nationwide."

The legislation is the result of a congressional House Aviation Subcommittee hearing held in May 2004. The hearing highlighted ways in which biometrics could improve employee, passenger and flight crew identity verification and access authorization. Adding biometrics to existing access control systems could protect against unauthorized access to sensitive areas of the airport using lost, stolen, or forged badges.

Biometrics could also protect against a terrorist on a watch list attempting to obtain an airport credential using an assumed identity. In addition, biometrics could protect against the impersonation of an airline pilot, flight crew, or an air traffic controller.