Congress Proposes Trusted Traveler REAL ID Relief Act

Beginning on October 1, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin enforcing enhanced REAL ID requirements for all airline passengers attempting to board a domestic flight within the U.S.

Even with a rapidly approaching deadline, it has become abundantly clear that most Americans do not yet have REAL ID-compliant forms of personal identification, and many are unaware that they need to take action to obtain one.

In an effort to mitigate the potentially disastrous and chaotic effects that enforcement of the REAL ID requirements on an underprepared public could have on the aviation and travel industries, not to mention the impact on ground operations at U.S. airports, two congresswomen have today introduced the ‘Trusted Traveler REAL ID Relief Act of 2020’ (H.R. 5827) to the House of Representatives.

“If, on October 1, millions of passengers are unable to board their flights when they arrive at airports, it will significantly disrupt the lives of individuals as well as operations throughout our interconnected aviation system,” said Airports Council International-North America President and CEO Kevin M. Burke.

Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ)—the top Republican on the Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee—and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) are the chief proponents of the bill designed to smooth the transition to full implementation of REAL ID requirements.

The Trusted Traveler REAL ID Relief Act would require that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) accept TSA PreCheck enrollment as an alternative to REAL ID-compliant identification for domestic air travel through April 1, 2022.

TSA would also be tasked with actively working to notify the public of the PreCheck exemption and finding ways to raise public awareness of all pending REAL ID requirements.

It would further require TSA to develop and implement alternative screening procedures for people who arrive at an airport security checkpoint after the October 1 deadline without REAL ID credentials or a Trusted Traveler program exemption.

The act would likewise buy more time for millions of folks who still need to apply for and obtain a REAL ID and allow State motor vehicle agencies the opportunity to establish new procedures through which individuals can submit their documents and facial images electronically, thus easing and expediting the entire process.

“AAAE appreciates this effort to provide creative ways to address the challenges posed by the October 1 REAL ID enforcement deadline,” commented Todd Hauptli, President and CEO of the American Association of Airport Executives. “We look forward to working with Congress, the administration, and our industry partners to advance solutions that ensure the traveling public is not grounded on October 1.”