LETTER TO EDITOR: Measuring effective oversight of TSA

OPINION:

The Transportation Security Administration was created after Sept. 11, 2001, to protect our nation’s transportation systems and the traveling public (“Lax airport security,” Editorial, Wednesday).

In 2005, the House Committee on Homeland Security became the permanent oversight committee for the department and homeland-security operations across the federal government. Since then, the committee has taken important oversight and legislative steps to strengthen security policies and enhance ongoing department functions. More important, the committee has taken the first step in addressing the concerns highlighted in a recently released report by the Government Accountability Office titled “Aviation Security: DHS and TSA Have Researched, Developed, and Begun Deploying Passenger Checkpoint Screening Technologies, but Continue to Face Challenges” (GAO-10-128).

H.R. 2200, the Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act, specifically mandates TSA to implement critical mechanisms to ensure that checkpoint technologies are adequately deployed across airports. This legislation was passed in June. These facts were not mentioned in the editorial.

This key, bipartisan legislation takes the first steps in addressing the concerns highlighted in the GAO report. H.R. 2200 requires TSA to develop a strategic plan, in consultation with S&T, for the certification and integration of technologies for transportation security. The legislation also requires the plan to include a cost-benefit analysis and quantifiable performance measures, and to incorporate those two elements, along with the results of the risk assessment, into the Passenger Screening Program strategic plan.

Additionally, to ensure transparency, H.R. 2200 requires an annual report describing the scope, method and results of developmental and operational tests of screening technologies. These legislative requirements fall in line with GAO’s recommendations.

There is no doubt that anyone who claims our response to be weak has not thoroughly read the legislative requirements in H.R. 2200 addressing this issue. I am committed to working with TSA’s incoming administrator to ensure transparency, effectiveness and proper vetting of technologies that will mitigate risks at checkpoints across our airports.

REP. BENNIE THOMPSON

Chairman

U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security

Washington