Prepared Statement of Kip Hawley
Assistant Secretary of the Transportation Security Administration
Before the U.S. Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Jannuary 17, 2007
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Co-Chairman, and Members of the Committee.
When I last appeared before this committee, we had a very direct conversation about Secure Flight, TSA’s watch-list-matching program. I announced at that time that I had directed a re-base lining of the program to assure that it meets our stringent privacy requirements. That work is now complete and we are moving forward to start implementation of Secure Flight next year.
It is important to note that watch-list matching of known terrorists with passenger lists is not on hold or waiting for Secure Flight. That process works well today and will continue until we are sure that Secure Flight is fully ready.
To assure the accuracy of the No-Fly list itself, we will shortly conclude a case by case review of every name on the No-Fly list. Working with our partners at the Terrorist Screening Center and in the intelligence community and law enforcement, this effort will effectively cut the No-Fly list in half.
Of course TSA’s most visible presence is at the airports. On the morning of August 10, about a month short of the fifth anniversary of September 11, we had an unscheduled, real world test of TSA in particular, and aviation security overall.
TSA, in just a few hours, literally over night, rolled out a new checkpoint security process for every passenger in America. Also, TSA put these changes into effect world-wide for every flight bound for the U.S. and deployed Federal Air Marshal teams to saturate affected flights flown by U.S. carriers.
For TSA, August 10, represents both an affirmation of how far we’ve come in five years and gives us confidence in the path ahead. I am proud of the way TSA men and women, including Federal Air Marshals, stepped up to this challenge and of their commitment to our mission going forward.
August 10, also illustrates how some of the security layers that I have mentioned in previous testimony work in a live-fire situation.
The first layer I identified was working with our partners in the intelligence community, law enforcement, the military, others at DHS and elsewhere in the U.S. government to identify and act on the threat at its origin. That happened in August and the coordinated actions across the government gave us at TSA key, timely information that enabled us to stay ahead of the threat.
TSA does not act alone.
Airports and airlines work alongside TSA every day. I cannot express enough my appreciation for the job they did this summer. We were all on the same page and acted together in a coordinated and sustained effort.
The same thing can be said for our international partners. We worked together to put in place what has become an International Civil Aviation Organization recommended practice world-wide and is in force throughout the European Union, Canada, and Australia.
Connecting with partners in the U.S. government, in the aviation industry, and with government entities around the world is a vital part of our security system and it does not happen by accident. At TSA, building and practicing these connections, is a core function of the agency.
I have testified before this committee on a number of occasions about the importance of taking full advantage of our existing workforce, of recognizing that the human mind itself is the most advanced technology on earth.
As you know, we have put a major focus on sophisticated and continued training of our TSOs (Transportation Security Officers) in detecting IED components. Beyond IED training, we have developed advanced capabilities in behavior observation, bomb appraisal, and document verification.
We have also made a major investment in our workforce to retain and motivate the best security officers. Our work over the last year has resulted in significant reductions in old problem areas like attrition and injuries.
For the first time, TSOs have significant long term career opportunities as well as pay increases for excellent performance. The impact of this renewed focus on mission performance and our TSOs is that we have an engaged workforce that is well trained and motivated. I think you can feel it at checkpoints around the country.
The challenge in August was unplanned but it was not unexpected.
We will continue to be challenged and have to be prepared for the unknown new threat as well as address all the known threats. This puts a priority on layers of security that are flexible, connected, and cannot be engineered around.
Even as we continue to deploy technology, we must also continue to invest in our workforce and take advantage of the unique asset that it represents. Every day, all across the country, there are thousands of TSOs, inspectors, and Federal Air Marshals who, on a moment’s notice, can and do deploy anywhere in an airport or the world.
Our mission is security and we never forget that. To meet an adaptive enemy whom we can’t always predict, there is no substitute for alert and prepared people.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear today and I would be happy to answer any questions.
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