Rising levels of misconduct at the Transportation Security Administration are “alarming” and “unconscionable,” according to a report released by the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday.
“Egregious misconduct occurs across all levels of the TSA,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., said in an opening statement during a hearing following the report’s release, and added that the administration had led to a “bloated bureaucracy without real substance.”
The report defines misconduct as ranging from transportation security officers assisting in drug and human trafficking or sexually assaulting travelers to excessive tardiness or absence to scheduled shifts.
TSA employee misconduct grew by 29 percent from fiscal year 2013 through 2015, and 35 percent of airports experienced an increased number of allegations, according to the report. The findings, which took place over a 6-month period, also found a 17 percent increase in TSA employees failing to follow instructions.
The investigation, led by two House Homeland Security subcommittees, also found that disciplinary actions among TSA employees, such as letters of reprimand or suspension, were down 14 percent. Also noted was the administration’s response to investigate fewer open and closed allegations.
Out of the administration’s 60,000 employees, Perry said, an estimated 27,000 allegations were found. Huban Gowadia, TSA’s new deputy administrator, said more than 50 percent of cases related to attendance and tardiness. “This is not so much an issue as misconduct as it is performance,” Gowadia added. Gowadia also mentioned 99.7 percent of about 5,000 tests looking at an officer’s personal integrity had returned with positive results.
Perry, countering Gowadia’s point, said, “Attendance and leave – that category includes absence without leave. When you’re expected on the line, these are issues of life and death. These employees are expected to be on the line, right? It can be an issue of life and death, right?” Perry asked Gowadia. “You won’t get any fight from me on the notion that a workforce needs to be disciplined and committed to excellence,” Gowadia replied.
Another member, Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., sided with Gowadia, and said, “There’s misconduct in everything – with attorneys, police, and members of Congress. So, we need to just focus on the true issues and not just penalize the entire workforce.”
Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., expressed concern with the TSA’s lack of transparency and said the administration often classified information in order to “shield themselves on unfavorable topics in public.”
Katko also mentioned Cuba denying visas to House lawmakers last month when congressmen wanted to visit the country’s airport security amid comments that current security conditions were not adequate. Flights between the U.S. and Cuba are set to begin later this year, and Katko said answers and access were needed to see if Cuba’s airports were in “proper shape.”
Gowadia said opportunities to improve were already taking place, and added, “We are committed to ourselves, and in everything we do, we strive for excellence. I think we are well underway with that.”
TSA’s “big government, bureaucratic response has failed the American public and the taxpayers,” Perry said. “American people deserve better and they are counting on you particularly to succeed in your mission.”
