Transportation security

'Bureaucracy And Stagnation' Preventing TSA From Addressing Security Threats

Earlier this month, the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Transportation Security held a hearing to examine the challenges the Transportation Security Administration faces in their research and development of security technologies and how those challenges affect TSA’s acquisitions practices.

In particular, the hearing assessed TSA’s progress implementing the Transportation Security Acquisition Reform Act (TSARA), which requires TSA to develop a comprehensive technology acquisition plan. Signed into law on December 18, 2014, TSARA aims to increase transparency and the application of acquisition best practices for security technology acquisitions.

According to Subcommittee Chairman John Katko (R-NY), time and time again TSA has wasted taxpayer dollars on ineffective screening technology. Although the private sector is largely responsible for the research and development of screening technologies, a lack of transparency between TSA and the private sector hinders security technology innovation.