TSA Gives Green Light to Orlando Private Screeners

The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) approval of private security screeners at Orlando Sanford International Airport  - changing its all-federal airline passenger screening system to private security operations under federal supervision -  won support from U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“I hope this opens a new era of reform for TSA operations, not only at Orlando Sanford but across nation,” Mica said in a statement.  “It’s critical that TSA get out of the business of running a huge bureaucracy and human resources operation and refocus its attention on security, analyzing intelligence, and setting the highest risk-based security standards. TSA needs to focus on going after terrorists – not little old ladies, veterans and children.”

Mica continued, “TSA is a bloated bureaucracy of more than 65,000 federal workers and a track record of security failures. The agency is top-heavy with 9,656 administrators in the field and 3,986 headquarters staff in Washington, DC making an average of $103,852 per year."

“Transitioning to the private-federal model at Orlando Sanford and other airports will allow TSA to focus on security and not on personnel management, and it will result in better customer service for passengers, improved security services, and more cost-effective security operations,” Mica said.

“Orlando Sanford will be the largest airport to convert to the private-federal screening model under the opt-out program. As more airports across the country will be encouraged to opt out, both taxpayers and air travelers will benefit from this cost-effective program.”

Qualified contractors will now compete under a TSA request for proposals, Mica said. A contract will then be awarded, and the airport will transition to a public-private screening operation.

The aviation legislation introduced by Mica and signed into law in February strengthens and protects the existing right of airports to “opt out” of the all-federal screening model and instead utilize certified private operators that conduct screening operations under federal standards and oversight, according to Mica. This opt-out program is known as the Screening Partnership Program.

Orlando Sanford had applied to opt out on two previous occasions, but was denied its right to do so by TSA, based on the agency’s fabricated and biased standard, which was not established or intended by Congress, Mica said. TSA denied other airports’ applications to opt out as well.

Under the new aviation law, Mica ensured the establishment of clear criteria for TSA when considering opt-out applications, and required the agency to reconsider applications it had denied.

A report released in 2011 by Mica’s Transportation Committee found the opt-out program to be 65 percent more efficient than the all-federal model, and would increase taxpayer savings by at least 42 percent. If the nation’s top 35 airports opted out, taxpayers could save $1 billion over five years, Mica said.

Sixteen airports currently successfully operate under the opt-out program, and others are interested, Mica said. Benefits of opting out, as reported by airports and by the investigative work of the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Transportation Committee, include greater screening efficiencies and innovation, improved cost-effectiveness, better customer service, improved employee morale, and greater flexibility for airports, according to Mica.

Visit www.mica.house.gov