Origanalist
01-15-2014, 10:57 PM
Maybe he should write them a strongly worded letter..
WASHINGTON – Members of a House panel threatened Tuesday to privatize more airport screening unless the Transportation Security Administration improves its treatment of travelers.
Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., said he plans legislation "one way or the other" to privatize all federal screeners within two years. He would leave TSA in charge of gathering intelligence, setting standards and running audits.
"If you come to Orlando airport or Sanford airport, what is going on is almost criminal to American citizens, the way they are treated," said Mica, head of the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on government operations, which held a hearing on private screeners. "This is the mess we've created."
The criticism came the same day Congress began debating a spending bill that would cut $225 million from TSA and cap the number of screeners at 46,000.
The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, said 48,000 workers are categorized as screeners.
But Kelly Hoggan, TSA's assistant administrator for security operations, said some of those workers categorized as screeners are actually managers and supervisors, so it isn't immediately clear how the cap will affect checkpoints.
Hoggan assured Connolly that the agency would perform its job with the funding provided.
TSA performance remained a concern for lawmakers. Connolly said it was inexcusable for TSA screeners to bark 20 orders at him and other travelers during his last trip over the weekend – back up, put your hands up, take your shoes off – without saying please. He urged the agency to become more polite or risk legislation.
"When we mistreat them by barking orders at them as if they are cattle, not people, we actually diminish spirit of cooperation," Connolly said. "I've had it, and I think a lot of the public has had it. There is no excuse for it." (Where has he been?)
cont....http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2014/01/14/tsa-private-screeners-airports-mica-orlando-connolly/4473961/
WASHINGTON – Members of a House panel threatened Tuesday to privatize more airport screening unless the Transportation Security Administration improves its treatment of travelers.
Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., said he plans legislation "one way or the other" to privatize all federal screeners within two years. He would leave TSA in charge of gathering intelligence, setting standards and running audits.
"If you come to Orlando airport or Sanford airport, what is going on is almost criminal to American citizens, the way they are treated," said Mica, head of the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on government operations, which held a hearing on private screeners. "This is the mess we've created."
The criticism came the same day Congress began debating a spending bill that would cut $225 million from TSA and cap the number of screeners at 46,000.
The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, said 48,000 workers are categorized as screeners.
But Kelly Hoggan, TSA's assistant administrator for security operations, said some of those workers categorized as screeners are actually managers and supervisors, so it isn't immediately clear how the cap will affect checkpoints.
Hoggan assured Connolly that the agency would perform its job with the funding provided.
TSA performance remained a concern for lawmakers. Connolly said it was inexcusable for TSA screeners to bark 20 orders at him and other travelers during his last trip over the weekend – back up, put your hands up, take your shoes off – without saying please. He urged the agency to become more polite or risk legislation.
"When we mistreat them by barking orders at them as if they are cattle, not people, we actually diminish spirit of cooperation," Connolly said. "I've had it, and I think a lot of the public has had it. There is no excuse for it." (Where has he been?)
cont....http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2014/01/14/tsa-private-screeners-airports-mica-orlando-connolly/4473961/