Blumenauer Initiates Offical Inquiry into TSA Screener Reallocation
BLUMENAUER INITIATES OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO TSA SCREENER REALLOCATION
Sep 28, 2005
Blumenauer's Inquiry to be Considered Within the Next Month
Washington, DC - Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D - Ore.) announced today that he has introduced a resolution of inquiry directing the Transportation Security Agency to turn over to Congress the information and model used to make recent airport screener reallocations. On July 26th, 2005, TSA announced a major reallocation of airport screeners across the country, notifying airports of the changes, but did not provide documentation for any of the changes or for a period of public comment or debate prior to enacting them.
"Yesterday, I introduced a resolution of inquiry regarding the recent reallocation of TSA airport screeners that are leading to massive cuts in screener workforce levels at Portland International Airport, and at many other airports across the country," Blumenauer said. "Only with all of the information TSA used during its decision making process can our airport authorities ensure that they were treated fairly by this process. But unfortunately, TSA has refused to be forthcoming with this information, making it impossible to know if we were treated fairly or not."
The TSA, created after the Sept. 11 attacks to oversee airport security, is limited by law to have at most 45,000 screeners stationed among all of our nation's airports. Last year, TSA made its first reallocation of screeners based on "numerous operational parameters at airports that impact the screening function, including arrival distributions, passenger and baggage throughput, airlines flight schedules, and passenger volume."
In response to TSA's most recent reallocation, Reps. Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio (D - Ore.), Darlene Hooley (D - Ore.), Greg Walden (R - Ore.), David Wu (D - Ore.), Brian Baird (D - Wash.) and Senators Ron Wyden (D - Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R - Ore.) requested detailed information on the screener allocation model used and the information that went in to making these cuts at our nation's airports. Months later however, TSA has still not provided any of the requested information, thereby prompting this legislative inquiry.
H. Res. 463 was introduced Tuesday, September 27, 2005 with 13 bipartisan cosponsors and was referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security. Because of the nature of the inquiry, the Committee on Homeland Security has 14 legislative days to act on the resolution.
http://blumenauer.house.gov/newsroom/PressRelease.aspx?NewsID=1330