House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va.,
is encouraging the Transportation Security Administration
to grant more management flexibilities to pilot program
airports.
Following the release of the BearingPoint study evaluating
private screening operations, Davis stated that his
committee had held a hearing to examine passenger screening
and testing, at which representatives from two of the five
pilot program airports said they lacked management
flexibilities needed to test new procedures that could lead
to improvements in security systems.
The study demonstrates the same lack in flexibilities that
result from the pilot program airports having to mirror so
many TSA practices: “the design of the private screening
program severely limits the opportunity for differences in
the two models,” said the report. Davis noted that where
the different practices are allowed, the study found
advantages in the private screening models.
“I strongly encourage the TSA to allow the pilot program
airports more management flexibilities, so that we can have
a more clear understanding of the differences between
public and private screening. Certainly the intent of
Congress under [the Aviation and Transportation Security
Act] was to allow contract screener companies to leverage
their creativity and flexibility to produce management
strategies that would create cost-savings to airports
without reducing passenger security. In addition, each
airport has a unique facilities design, labor market, and
security interest. It is important that TSA allow
flexibilities to allow local managers to address
airport-unique concerns,” said Davis.
