re: #427 Killgore Trout

Republicans oppose national security…
Amid airport anger, GOP takes aim at screening

Letter from Charles Jeszeck, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues to John Mica in May:

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TSA has taken steps to strengthen passenger checkpoint screening procedures to enhance the detection of prohibited items, as well as to make checking of passenger names against the terrorist watchlist records more effective in detecting persons who may pose a threat to aviation security. These initiatives have been intended to improve aviation security, including that of airports and their terminals, which are often intermodal in nature. While making progress, TSA and other federal agencies have faced challenges in effectively implementing certain programs integral to ensuring aviation security.

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On March 17, 2010, in an analysis of the December 25, 2009, attempted attack on Northwest flight 253, we reported that while TSA has taken actions towards strengthening other areas of aviation security, it continues to face challenges involving its efforts to procure and deploy advanced imaging technology (AIT) (formerly called the Whole Body Imager). We found that in response to the attack, TSA had revised the AIT procurement and deployment strategy, increasing the planned deployment of AITs from 878 to 1,800 units and using AITs as a primary—instead of a secondary—screening measure where feasible. While officials said AITs performed as well as physical pat downs in operational tests, it remains unclear whether the AIT would have detected the weapon used in the December 2009 incident based on the preliminary information we have received. We are currently assessing TSA’s operational testing of the AIT.

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