WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Security Administration’s announcement today of new guidelines by which U.S. airports can choose to use private screening for air passengers was welcomed by U.S. Congressman John L. Mica (R-Florida), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee. Following is a statement from Congressman Mica:
“Everyone should clearly understand that airline passenger screening will remain a Federal responsibility. The Federal Government’s role will in fact be more focused on setting high standards, and on carefully auditing the screeners’ operations and detection performance.
“Managing the recruitment, training, and the deployment of 45,000 screening personnel all from Washington, DC has proven impossible to meet the changing schedules and to provide the necessary flexibility at over 440 airports across America.”
“This is a positive, evolutionary step in decentralizing the Soviet-style federal hiring, training and scheduling system that was structured after 9/11. This reform will allow TSA to improve passenger screening operations and most importantly performance standards to better detect weapons, explosives and serious risks.”
“I commend Secretary Ridge, Admiral Loy and Admiral Stone and thank UnderSecretary Asa Hutchison for their actions in producing these guidelines today. Under the 2001 law creating TSA, airports have been given the choice to select private screening operators under Federal supervision beginning in November of this year.”