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REP. DEGETTE QUESTIONS WISDOM OF SLASHING AIRPORT SECURITY SCREENERS AT DIA
Thursday May 01, 2003FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2003
Contact: Josh Freed
(202) 225-4431
WASHINGTON, DC – US Representative Diana DeGette (CO-01), whose district includes Denver International Airport (DIA), questioned the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) April 30 decision to cut 197 – 19 percent – of the 1,043 baggage and passenger screeners at DIA.
The 19 percent reduction in TSA security personnel at DIA, which handles 36 million passengers a year, would be the sixth largest cut in employees in the country. TSA reported that the cuts are being made because of budget constraints.
“Just as the TSA appears to feel that it overreacted by hiring too many airport security screeners when the agency was created, I am concerned that it may be overreacting again by reducing its staff just before we enter the peak travel season,” said Rep. DeGette. “The security of air travel is too important to be a victim of poor budget planning.”
TSA screeners have also recently voiced concern about a decline in morale at DIA due to what they described as intimidation and abusive behavior by TSA administrators toward rank and file personnel.
“We need to make sure that the screeners at DIA and other airports across the nation are able to concentrate completely on the job at hand,” said Rep. DeGette. “The employees at DIA are already worried about questionable treatment by their superiors. Adding fears about job security to the mix is not the way to maintain the level of vigilance the flying public expects.”
DIA officials estimate that, based on current airport use, wait times for passengers to clear security could double because of the reduction in TSA personnel.
“It’s disconcerting that just over one year after its creation, the TSA would have to start cutting security personnel. Given the cyclical nature of air travel, the end of the war in Iraq, and the recent upswing in consumer spending, we could soon find ourselves with an increase in air travelers just as TSA is reducing security personnel,” said Rep. DeGette. “We need to make air travel more convenient and more secure. This could achieve the opposite goals.”
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May 1, 2003
Contact: Josh Freed
(202) 225-4431
WASHINGTON, DC – US Representative Diana DeGette (CO-01), whose district includes Denver International Airport (DIA), questioned the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) April 30 decision to cut 197 – 19 percent – of the 1,043 baggage and passenger screeners at DIA.
The 19 percent reduction in TSA security personnel at DIA, which handles 36 million passengers a year, would be the sixth largest cut in employees in the country. TSA reported that the cuts are being made because of budget constraints.
“Just as the TSA appears to feel that it overreacted by hiring too many airport security screeners when the agency was created, I am concerned that it may be overreacting again by reducing its staff just before we enter the peak travel season,” said Rep. DeGette. “The security of air travel is too important to be a victim of poor budget planning.”
TSA screeners have also recently voiced concern about a decline in morale at DIA due to what they described as intimidation and abusive behavior by TSA administrators toward rank and file personnel.
“We need to make sure that the screeners at DIA and other airports across the nation are able to concentrate completely on the job at hand,” said Rep. DeGette. “The employees at DIA are already worried about questionable treatment by their superiors. Adding fears about job security to the mix is not the way to maintain the level of vigilance the flying public expects.”
DIA officials estimate that, based on current airport use, wait times for passengers to clear security could double because of the reduction in TSA personnel.
“It’s disconcerting that just over one year after its creation, the TSA would have to start cutting security personnel. Given the cyclical nature of air travel, the end of the war in Iraq, and the recent upswing in consumer spending, we could soon find ourselves with an increase in air travelers just as TSA is reducing security personnel,” said Rep. DeGette. “We need to make air travel more convenient and more secure. This could achieve the opposite goals.”
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