Over time the TSA has made PreCheck available to more and more people – some still need to pay for the privilege, but others have been allowed to get it for free:
- Visitors from select foreign countries are allowed to apply for PreCheck. They do have to pay for this, the same as most Americans.
- Children age 17 and under whose parent/guardian have TSA PreCheck (they can go through PreCheck for free, if they’re with their parents)
- Certain Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) holders get TSA PreCheck for free
- Active military and DoD civilian employees get TSA PreCheck at no cost
Now, that last one, active military and DoD civilian employees, that one makes sense, because they’re actively monitored by the US government anyway. If they’re “good enough” to work for the government, that makes them “good enough” to be trusted travelers.
Veterans, on the other hand, have never been in any sort of specialized group in the eyes of the TSA; here’s why.
Fortunately, it looks like, for some of those veterans, at least, that’s about to change, as the U.S. Senate has just passed a bill that would allow veterans with disabilities to get TSA PreCheck for free.
The New Bill for Disabled Veterans
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced the bill that would provide veterans who have disabilities sustained during their time in service with expedited screening under the TSA’s PreCheck program. They called it the “Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act” (VETS Safe Travel Act, for short).
Under the bill, veterans who have been determined to have select service-related disabilities would be able to apply for TSA PreCheck and not have to pay the application fee.
From the bill:
A veteran…is eligible for security screening under the PreCheck Program…at no cost to the veteran if the veteran is able to meet the background check and other security requirements for participation in the Program.
A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who:
(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veteran Affairs…
(B) has been determined by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to have a service-connected disability…and such disability has been determined by such Secretary to have resulted in:
- loss, or loss use of, an extremity;
- paralysis or partial paralysis; or
- permanent blindness; and
(C) as a result of a loss, paralysis or partial paralysis, or blindness…requires the use of a wheelchair, prosthetic limb or other assistive device to aid with mobility.
Senators Behind the Legislation
Said Senator Marshall: “Ensuring wounded veterans have little difficulty getting through airport security is a simple but impactful way to honor these heroes’ sacrifices for our country. I’m proud we delivered this victory before the end of this Congress.”
“Airports can be a dreaded experience for veterans with service-connected disabilities because of the invasive screenings they may endure at security checkpoints. Once it becomes law, this bill will provide dignified travel to thousands of wounded warriors by ensuring PreCheck benefits are easily available to them,” said Senator Young.
“Millions of Veterans have sacrificed a great deal in service to our nation and returned home with service-connected disabilities—for those of us who rely on prosthetics and wheelchairs for mobility, air travel and passing through airport security can be a challenge,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m proud the Senate passed our bipartisan bill to make TSA PreCheck available at no cost to these Veterans and make flying and passing through airports easier and less intrusive.”
“For veterans who have already overcome extraordinary challenges in service to our country, navigating airport security should not be another hurdle,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation recognizes the unique challenges that many disabled veterans face and helps to better ensure that their travel experience reflects the dignity of their service.”
Support for the Bill from Veteran Organizations
The legislation is supported by the Wounded Warrior Project, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Honor Flight Network, Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, Blinded Veterans Association, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Marshall noted that the bill passed the House of Representatives with unanimous consent in December and will now head to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
H/T: WIMS, KCTV Channel 5
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1 comment
Active military? Yes. The others mentioned? No.