Gus Bilirakis: “I thank the chairman, my good friend John Katko, and also the ranking member, my good friend Filo Vela, and also the…”

“I thank the chairman, my good friend John Katko, and also the ranking member, my good friend Filo Vela, and also the chairman, the full chairman of the committee, Mr. McCaul, for their great work. I really appreciate it. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 4561, Security Assessment Feasibility for Equipment Testing and Evaluation of Capabilities for Our Homeland, or the SAFE TECH Act. My legislation seeks to strengthen the safety of international air travel. Specifically, this bill provides an avenue for third-party testing of innovative technology screening capabilities to enhance airport security. The testing program authorized under this act shall include evaluating the performance of detecting explosives and other prohibited items. Additionally, the SAFE TECH Act will look into alternative testing for other factors, including, health and safety concerns, operator interference, human error, environmental dynamics, reliability, and interoperability. The bill also assesses the feasibility of linking compatible security technology utilized by the United States and international allies in order to augment screening checkpoints. The coordinated collaboration is an essential element of strengthening global security. Currently, technical standards for safety and operating procedures at the international airports are set by international agreements.…”