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Airports might return to private screeners
Associated Press
Published October 7, 2005
WASHINGTON - Lawmakers, upset with the performance of the Transportation Security Administration, say they hope to encourage airports to return to privately employed screeners.
An agreement worked out by House and Senate negotiators shields airports from lawsuits if they switch to private screeners.
Some airport officials haven't made the switch for fear that they could be sued if terrorists carried out an attack because of something private screeners did or didn't do.
Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., added the legal protection to the Homeland Security spending bill to give airports the option of using private screeners. Congress was expected to pass the bill late Thursday.
"Private screening - under the watchful eye of the TSA - would have a lot more flexibility and maneuverability in addressing peak-hour loads and moving screeners around on the clock, rather than a large bureaucracy like the TSA," Rogers said.
The switch to TSA screeners came after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks exposed problems with privately employed workers. Private screeners have been used by five airports as part of a test comparing them with federal screeners at the other 450 commercial airports.
Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, said passengers would be safer with private screeners. "It would be much more efficient," he said.
[Last modified October 7, 2005, 01:51:07]
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