AVIATION SECURITY: Transportation Security Administration Faces Immediate and Long-Term Challenges
Abstract
Nearly a year has passed since the terrorist attacks of September 11 turned commercial aircraft into missiles, killing thousands of people, destroying billions of dollars' worth of property, and realigning our national priorities. With these attacks, the safety and security of the nation's civil aviation system assumed greater importance, and efforts to strengthen the system were the subject of much congressional attention. Through dozens of reports and testimonies published since the early 1990s (see app. I), we have contributed to the national discussion on aviation security and to the reforms enacted last November in the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (the act).' Among these reforms was the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which was assigned responsibility for security in aviation and other modes of transportation. The act also set forth deadlines by which TSA was to implement specific improvements to aviation security. We are pleased to be here today to discuss TSA's progress in enhancing aviation security and in implementing the act's provisions for addressing security weaknesses in aviation and other modes of transportation. Our testimony, which is based on our prior work as well as our ongoing work for this Committee, includes observations about (1) what TSA has done since September 11 to strengthen aviation security, (2) what immediate challenges TSA faces to strengthen transportation security, and (3) what longer-term challenges TSA can anticipate as it organizes itself to enhance security in all modes of transportation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 25, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404326
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office