Hearing Report: TSA Testifies About Its Priorities Before the House Homeland Security Committee
January 21, 2026
This morning, Ha McNeill, the Transportation Security Administration’s Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, testified before the House Homeland Security Committee at its first oversight hearing of 2026. In addition to McNeill, the Committee also received testimony from Dr. Madhu Gottumukkala, Acting Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Pedro Allende, the Under Secretary for the DHS Science and Technology Directorate. While Chair Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) tried to focus on how Congress can effectively support transportation and cybersecurity needs and prepare for the threats of tomorrow, the hearing repeatedly shifted to immigration enforcement.
During her opening statement, McNeill stated that “TSA is laser-focused on delivering for the American people, fortifying travel security, renewing its commitment to the traveler experience, and serving as a responsible steward of the American tax dollar. This starts with deploying upgraded, state-of-the-art technology to airports nationwide, renewing our commitment to the American taxpayer, returning to our core mission, leveraging public-private partnerships, and enhancing hospitality and the passenger experience.”
Security Technologies: McNeill was repeatedly questioned about TSA’s plans to advance the latest security technologies more rapidly. She responded that TSA continues to see growing passenger volumes at its checkpoints and needs to more quickly deploy the latest cutting-edge screening technologies, improve identity verification, and improve the agency’s IT infrastructure. To do this, McNeill asked the Committee to return aviation security fees currently being diverted to deficit reduction to TSA and to expand the scope and size of the Aviation Security Fund, which is currently set at $250 million per year, so that this funding could also be used for checkpoint security technologies. If this were done, TSA could significantly reduce the time to deploy computed tomography and biometric technology to all checkpoints nationwide, which are currently scheduled to be fully deployed in 2042 and 2049, respectively.
Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee Chair Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) spoke in favor of the European model for security technology deployments, where airports procure the security systems for use, stating that this model is more agile in deploying the latest technologies. Gimenez plans to introduce legislation that will “change the way security is funded to be more like the European model.” In response, McNeill reiterated her support for public-private partnerships and highlighted TSA’s Capability Assessment Program that allows airports and air carriers to donate or “gift” technology to TSA. In her written statement, McNeill also alluded to ongoing efforts to enhance the Screening Partnership Program to allow additional and accelerated funding and deployment of technology. Specifically, McNeill’s statement reads, “Under the Screening Partnership Program (SPP), TSA contracts with qualified private companies to provide personnel to perform security screening operations at commercial airports. TSA is working closely with Congressional and industry partners to modernize SPP to incentivize airports and industry to invest in more tailored and innovative solutions faster, to optimize security operations, while maintaining the Agency’s rigorous regulatory oversight and outcome-based security standards.”
Facial Recognition: Rep. Josh Brechen (R-OK) raised TSA’s use of facial recognition technologies at the checkpoint and concerns he is hearing from some travelers. McNeill assured the Representative that using facial comparison technology is voluntary. Travelers can opt-out and the TSA will process them using the standard manual ID check.
ConfirmID: Members of the Committee also questioned McNeill about the new ConfirmID program, which will go into effect on February 1. McNeill explained that the ConfirmID is designed to process those individuals who do not show up with a REAL ID or another acceptable form of ID, to ensure these individuals do not pose a threat to the aviation system, and that the $45 fee is necessary to fully cover TSA’s cost to conduct this type of identity verification.
Other Topics: Throughout the hearing, McNeill was repeatedly questioned on the reassignment of TSA personnel, especially air marshals, to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); sharing passenger data with ICE; permitting people to fly without proper documentation; and DHS’s decision to end TSA collective bargaining.
Additional Details: For more information about the topics discussed in the hearing,
- Hearing Video
- Witnesses written statements
