2024-12505. Request for Applicants for Appointment to the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee

AGENCY:

Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

Committee management; request for applicants.

SUMMARY:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requests that qualified individuals interested in serving on the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (STSAC) apply for appointment as identified in this notice. All applicants must represent one of the constituencies specified below in order to be eligible for appointment. STSAC's mission is to provide advice, consultation, and recommendations to the TSA Administrator on improving surface transportation security matters, including developing, refining, and implementing policies, programs, initiatives, rulemakings, and security directives pertaining to surface transportation security, while adhering to sensitive security information requirements. The STSAC considers risk-based approaches in the performance of its duties.

DATES:

Applications for membership must be submitted to TSA using one of the methods in the ADDRESSES section below on or before July 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Applications must be submitted by one of the following means:

• Email: [e-mail].
• Mail: Gary Click, STSAC Designated Federal Officer, Transportation Security Administration (TSA-28), TSA Mailstop 6028, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 20598-6028.

See below for application requirements.

The STSAC will send you an email that confirms receipt of your application and will notify you of the final status of your application once TSA selects members.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gary Click, STSAC Designated Federal Officer (DFO), Transportation Security Administration (TSA-28), TSA Mailstop 6028, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 20598-6028, [e-mail], 571-227-5866.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The STSAC is an advisory committee established pursuant to section 1969, Division K, TSA Modernization Act, of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-254; 132 Stat. 3186; Oct. 5, 2018). The committee is composed of individual members representing key constituencies affected by surface transportation security requirements.

Application for Advisory Committee Appointment

Any person wishing to be considered for appointment to the STSAC must provide the following information:

• Complete professional resume.
• Statement of interest and reasons for application, including the membership category represented, how you represent a significant portion of that constituency, and a brief explanation of how you can contribute to one or more TSA strategic initiatives based on your prior experience with TSA or your review of current TSA strategic documents. These documents can be found atwww.tsa.gov/​about/​strategy.
• Home and work addresses, telephone number, and email address.

In order for DHS to fully leverage broad-ranging experience and education, the STSAC must be diverse with regard to professional and technical expertise. DHS is also committed to pursuing opportunities, consistent with applicable law, to compose a committee that reflects the diversity of the nation's people. If there are aspects of diversity that you wish to describe or emphasize in support of your candidacy, please do so within your statement of interest application. TSA does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, political affiliation, disability and genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

Please submit your application to the DFO in ADDRESSES noted above by July 8, 2024.

Membership

The STSAC is composed of no more than 40 voting members from among stakeholders representing each mode of surface transportation, such as passenger rail, freight rail, mass transit, pipelines, highways, over-the-road bus, school bus industry, and trucking, and may include representatives from—

• Associations representing such modes of surface transportation;
• Labor organizations representing such modes of surface transportation;
• Groups representing the users of such modes of surface transportation, including asset manufacturers, academics, and cybersecurity professionals, as appropriate;
• Relevant law enforcement, first responders, and security experts;
• Emergency Management Officials; and
• Such other groups as the TSA Administrator considers appropriate.

The STSAC also includes nonvoting members, serving in an advisory capacity, who are designated by TSA; the Department of Transportation; the Coast Guard; and such other Federal department or agency as the TSA Administrator considers appropriate.

The STSAC does not have a specific number of members allocated to any membership category and TSA may adjust the number of members in a category may to fit the needs of the Committee.

Appointees will be designated as representative members. Representative members speak for the key constituency group they represent. Membership on the Committee is personal to the appointee and a member may not send an alternate to a Committee meeting. The members of the committee shall not receive any compensation from the government by reason of their service on the Committee.

Committee Voting Membership

Committee voting members are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Administrator of TSA for a term of two years, but a voting member may continue to serve until the Administrator appoints a successor. Voting members who are currently serving on the Committee and whose 2-year term concludes in 2024 are eligible to reapply for membership and must submit a new application. The next 2-year term of appointments will begin November 2024.

Committee Meetings

The Committee shall meet as frequently as deemed necessary by the DFO in consultation with the Chairperson, but no less than two scheduled meetings each year. At least one meeting will be open to the public each year. Unless the DFO decides otherwise, meetings will be held in person in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area or through web conferencing. In addition, STSAC members are expected to participate on an STSAC subcommittee that normally meets more frequently to deliberate and discuss specific surface transportation matters.

Committee Membership Vetting

All applicants who are presented for appointment to the STSAC must successfully complete a security threat assessment (STA) by TSA, as access to sensitive security information will be necessary. U.S. citizens and those meeting residency requirements will be vetted using TSA's Universal Enrollment Services (UES), which includes the collection of biographic and biometric information to allow TSA to perform the STA in regards to criminal history, terrorists watch list, and citizenship. Selected applicants will be offered a no-cost authorization code to complete the three-step UES process; which includes online pre-enrollment and coordinating an in-person visit to the enrollment center. Non-U.S. applicants presented for appointment to the STSAC will be required to complete additional vetting.

Dated: June 3, 2024.

Eddie D. Mayenschein,

Assistant Administrator, Policy, Plans, and Engagement.