Three Young-Led Bills Pass Out of Commerce Committee
WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced that three of his bills passed out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The bills include theVeterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS) Safe Travel Act, the Blockchain Promotion Act of 2019, and the Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity Index Act.
“Today we’ve made major strides in bettering the lives of Hoosiers. I’m proud three of my bills have been passed out of committee, and are on their way to helping our veterans, economy, and natural resources,” said Senator Young. “Providing free TSA Pre√® to disabled veterans would help improve the lives of individuals who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to serve our nation. Blockchain promotion would provide financial and economic benefits at home, as well as humanitarian and social support in developing countries. Finally, updating the ESI maps surrounding the Great Lakes would allow us to better protect our natural resources and effectively respond to disasters.”
In June, Senator Young joined Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) to announce the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS) Safe Travel Act toprovide disabled veterans TSA Preè at no cost. TSA Preè is already offered to active duty, reserves, and National Guard service members at no cost. The bipartisan legislation would expand this program to include veterans who are amputees, paralyzed, or blind. There are approximately 70,000 amputee veterans, 100,000 paralyzed, and 130,000 blind veterans in the United States currently. When traveling, passing through airport security with prosthetics, wheelchairs, or other mobility aids presents a challenge.
In February, Senator Young was joined by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, and Science, and Transportation, to introduce the Blockchain Promotion Act of 2019. The bipartisan legislation would establish a working group of stakeholders across the federal government and private industry to establish a common definition of blockchain technology, which is the bedrock of modern cryptocurrencies and could also have a tremendous impact in nonfinancial industries like supply chain management, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence development, or healthcare.
In May, Senator Young helped reintroduce the Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity Index Act, bipartisan legislation to update the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps in the Great Lakes. The legislation would direct the Great Lakes Region ESI maps to be updated for the first time in over twenty years, joining maps for the East coast, West coast, and Gulf coast that have been updated more recently. These new maps will provide accurate assessments of coastal resources that are at risk of severe damage or a disaster, including endangered and threatened species, sensitive shoreline habitats, and widely used community resources such as beaches, parks and boat ramps.