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STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, RANKING REPUBLICAN, SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
FULL COMMITTEE HEARING ON AVIATION SECURITY
July 25, 2002
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is at a crucial point in its short history. The agency is working simultaneously on several extremely challenging tasks. The TSA must purchase and install thousands of explosive detection devices and hire tens of thousands of passenger and baggage screeners at 429 airports throughout the country, all in the next few months. At the same time, it must build its own massive organization from the ground up.If these challenges were not enough, the President has recommended that the TSA be moved to another entirely new entity, the Department of Homeland Security. And, as of last week, the TSA now has a new acting leader, Admiral Loy, who is accompanying Secretary Mineta today. In the midst of all these efforts and transitions, the TSA must come to grips with one of its most difficult jobs: dealing with a Congress that is pulling the agency in different directions.
For example, some legislators are trying to move the deadline for screening all bags using explosive detection equipment while others are saying we must keep the pressure on and not weaken our security measures. The appropriators have substantially limited the total number of TSA employees, cutting the President's supplemental funding request, and using earmarks to tie up much of the rest of the money. Just two days ago, Secretary Mineta testified that the amount of money Congress is providing in the Supplemental Appropriations Act, and the strings attached to that funding, will not support the mandates and timetables for aviation security that Congress set last-year for TSA. On top of it all, every sector of the aviation community seems to be voicing one complaint or another about how security is being handled. All of this is making it difficult for TSA to do the job we gave it eight months ago -- to keep our aviation and other transportation systems secure.
I hope that the first panel of witnesses will shed more light on some of the issues that TSA faces in the coming weeks and months. DOT and TSA have tried to do a good job, especially given the circumstances, but it is evident that everything has not gone as well as it should. The road ahead is likely to be even rougher than the one already traveled. In that regard, I know that the GAO will have some important observations about where we stand today and what the future may hold.
Another issue being addressed today is the arming of pilots. Eight months ago, members of Congress were unable to reach a consensus on this contentious issue. Due in part to a lack of sound information and analytical data, as well as the urgent need to pass the legislation, we placed the authority for the ultimate decision with the TSA, which we expected to objectively assess the potential benefits and hazards of arming airline pilots.
At our last hearing on aviation security, two months ago, former Under Secretary Magaw announced that TSA would not support the arming of pilots. That decision prompted the introduction of several bills in Congress to explicitly allow pilots to use firearms. The issue remains contentious, and there seems to be little hard analysis on either side. Even the GAO recently concluded that, without additional research, "the potential benefits, risks, and costs of using weapons on aircraft cannot be fully determined." Therefore, I am anxious to hear from all our witnesses today on this issue.
I genuinely hope that Congress, the Administration, and the aviation community can reach greater consensus and unity of purpose in the area of aviation security. Assigning blame and finger pointing are too easy here in Washington. We must not lose sight of the stakes in this fight. Aviation has always been a popular target for terrorists, and there is no reason to believe that has changed. It is not easy to balance the need for greater security with the efficient flow of air commerce that is vital to our country. But the task will only be made more difficult by infighting and a lack of direction.
I thank our witnesses for their willingness to be here.
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