Jeff Duncan: “I rise today to commend the National Air Transportation Association and its leader, James K. Coyne, for coming up with…”

“I rise today to commend the National Air Transportation Association and its leader, James K. Coyne, for coming up with an innovative Sky ID program. This plan would identify frequent flyers on commercial and general aviation planes and aviation personnel who could be classified as trusted travelers. They would have to undergo an intensive background check to be included in this program, but it would be completely voluntary, and people would be free to choose whether to participate or not. Their carry-on and other bags would still be screened, but this plan would be a significant step toward the goal of shortening the lines and reducing the delays at our Nation's airports. The plan would use advanced digital identification technology and would produce smart cards with biometric template information so they could not be used by others. This plan would be similar to security systems used in very sensitive areas by the Department of Defense. I want to encourage and urge the FAA to work closely with the National Air Transportation Association in this effort to decrease delays and, at the same time, increase security in a very low-cost way at our Nation's airports.”