That's right, folks. The Transportation Security Administration is reconsidering their push to outsource some of it screening and inspection services at certain airports. As a matter of fact, the agency is reviewing all existing contracts as well. This affects 10,000 service contracts. This trend has been found throughout the Defense Department as well as it announced in 2009 plans to cut 33,000 contractor positions and replace many of them with civilian workers, and by last summer, had created about 16,000 new Defense civilian jobs through insourcing.
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., a vocal supporter of privatizing airport screening, blasted Pistole's decision and said he plans to investigate TSA's move.
"It's unimaginable that TSA would suspend the most successfully performing passenger screening program we've had over the last decade," Mica said in a statement. "The agency should concentrate on cutting some of the more than 3,700 administrative personnel in Washington who concocted this decision, and reduce the army of TSA employees that has ballooned to more than 62,000. Nearly every positive security innovation since the beginning of TSA has come from the contractor screening program."
The American Federation of Government Employees and National Treasury Employees Union, which are both vying to represent more than 40,000 TSA screeners, celebrated the news.
"The nation is secure in the sense that the safety of our skies will not be left in the hands of the lowest-bidder contractor, as it was before 9/11," AFGE National President John Gage said. "We applaud Administrator Pistole for recognizing the value in a cohesive federalized screening system and work force."
