The Transportation Security Administration is falling short on major components of its mission, as it can’t ensure its own workers have no links to terrorism, spent millions of dollars on technology that hasn’t improved safety, and still struggles with passenger screening, as shown by one example in which a felon was given expedited clearance to fly, according to a government watchdog.
“Unfortunately, although nearly 14 years have passed since TSA’s inception, we remain deeply concerned about its ability to execute its important mission,” Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
The Senate hearing was held after the inspector general released a report saying TSA isn’t getting all the information it needs to assess whether its own employees are tied to terrorist groups. An inspector general report from this week said 73 TSA workers may have had these ties.
In early June, a report was released saying TSA allowed examiners to slip through the gates with weapons and other items that should have warranted a closer look 67 out of 70 cases.
Roth declined to talk about the result of that covert test until the full report is released, and said an investigation is ongoing into how that information leaked out.
But he told the committee that TSA’s problems go even deeper than that. For example, he said TSA has implemented a “PreCheck” system at 125 airports that allows random passengers to get expedited clearance to fly. But he noted that a felon was recently able to benefit from this system.
“The traveler was sufficiently notorious that a TSO recognized the traveler, based on media coverage,” Roth said in his prepared remarks. “In scanning the traveler’s boarding pass, the TSO received notification that the traveler was PreCheck eligible. The TSO, aware of the traveler’s disqualifying criminal convictions, notified his supervisor who directed him to take no further action and allow the traveler to proceed through the PreCheck lane.”
Roth said this example shows that randomly allowing people to use this program is a bad idea.
TSA is also trying to use behavior detection techniques to spot nervous passengers who might pose a risk to passengers. But several audits have said this program isn’t doing much good, even though it has cost $878 million from 2007 to 2012.
“[T]he program remains an example of a questionable investment in security,” Roth said in his remarks.
The TSA is also wasting millions on new technologies that either aren’t deployed, or aren’t creating safer flights.
“According to TSA, since 2009, it had spent $540 million for checked baggage screening equipment and $11 million for training,” Roth said. “Despite that investment, TSA had not improved checked baggage screening since our 2009 report on the same issue.”
The agency has also purchased $150 million in advanced imaging technology that it never deployed. And despite holding huge maintenance contracts worth $1.2 billion, TSA can’t ensure its equipment is up to date and working.
“Because TSA does not adequately oversee equipment maintenance, it cannot be assured that routine preventive maintenance is performed on thousands of screening units or that this equipment is repaired as needed, ready for operational use, and operating at its full capacity,” Roth said.
During the hearing, Roth was asked by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., what TSA is doing well. Roth said it’s good that many TSA employees have stepped forward as whistleblowers to highlight problems at the agency, and said “I suspect” that some TSA employees are doing their best every day to ensure passenger safety.
