Mica: Another Possible TSA Meltdown

Washington, DC – Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) released the following statement after learning there may be another TSA meltdown looming at an airport in Florida which may involve a substantial number of TSA employees, including high-ranking airport security officials:

“Unfortunately this appears to be another example of a dramatic meltdown of TSA operations. When confirmed, the significant security system failure at this Florida airport once again highlights the need to get TSA out of the human resources business and back into the nation’s security business. This reported failure comes on the heels of other security operations meltdowns at airports in New York, Newark, Palm Beach, Honolulu, Charlotte, and Los Angeles. Since last year, for example, TSA recommended firing 36 employees in Honolulu for improperly screening luggage, and 12 others in Charlotte for similar reasons. And in Newark, a total of ten workers were fired or suspended for theft or sleeping on the job.

“I am disappointed Administrator Pistole has not reorganized TSA and instituted a meaningful risk-based operation that allows the agency to coordinate intelligence, connect the dots, and concentrate on identifying potential terrorists instead of shaking down little old ladies, children and innocent travelers.

“Unfortunately, the United States remains one of only a handful of Western nations, including Romania, Bulgaria and Poland, that do not employ qualified professional private sector screeners under federal standards and oversight. Other nations’ screening operations allow the government to properly focus its attention on security, not managing a massive personnel operation.”

“I am calling on TSA to make details of this latest meltdown public and disappointed they would try to keep the media in the dark about this latest system failure that is once again embarrassing to that agency.”