At the end of last week, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., brought out the “Fast Lane for Youths Act (FLY Act).”
The bill will “establish a system to expedite gate passes and flight access procedures for caregivers, parents, and guardians accompanying minors and passengers needing assistance to their flights.”
Steube offered his reasons for introducing the bill.
“Parents, guardians, and caregivers who are assisting passengers through the airport should be able to join them in TSA’s Pre-Check processing line, so long as they are already Pre-Check qualified. In a stunning display of bureaucratic absurdity, current TSA policies do not provide Pre-Check privileges for gate passes even when the passenger and escorts all have been screened through the Pre-Check program. My legislation provides a simple legislative fix to allow a more expedient process through the airport for many families this holiday season,” said Steube.
“Specifically, the legislation requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a system to better expedite gate passes and flight access procedures to allow caregivers, parents, and guardians to accompany minors and passengers needing assistance to their flights. The legislation requires the system to ensure up to two gate passes are provided to caregivers, parents, and guardians who are already qualified for TSA Pre-Check, to the same extent as such status would be noted on a ticket,” the congressman’s office noted.
The bill was sent to the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure and the Homeland Security Committees. So far, there are no co-sponsors in the House and no companion measure in the U.S. Senate.