Monroe County, Florida --- Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is asking the Chairmen of important and powerful House Committees to assist the Marathon Airport in its effort to obtain federal screeners from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).  Ros-Lehtinen's office received a letter from the TSA stating that they have not determined if they will provide screening services at the airport.

Ros-Lehtinen's letter to Congressmen Peter King, Chair of the Homeland Security Committee; John Mica, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; and Daniel Lungren, Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity; stated that:

"The Director of Airports for Marathon, Peter Horton, has advised my office and the TSA that the solution and a possible compromise for this situation at Marathon Airport is the TSA Screening Partnership Program (SPP).  As I understand it, the SPP is an opt out program whereby airports apply to the TSA to "opt out" from using TSA screeners and the TSA contracts with a private screening company to provide screening services at the airport. If agreed, TSA must provide screening services on an interim basis until the SPP can be implemented.

The airport operator for Marathon Airport also operates Key West Airport and has proposed opting-out both airports.  Indications are that a private screening company can provide screening services at both airports for the same cost the TSA spends for screeners now at just Key West Airport."

Said Ros-Lehtinen, "I was dismayed with the answer we received from the TSA and I always said nothing is for sure unless I get it in writing. That said, I am asking my colleagues in the House to help the Marathon Airport reach a conclusion using the TSA Screening Partnership Program. We must exhaust all avenues, knock on all doors until we can say that Marathon Airport is functioning for the betterment of its community and users."

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