Travel Advocates, Georgia Lawmakers Are Howling!

The TSA has a lot of problems on its hands, but one of the most pressing is how to cut 2,000 jobs in order to meet a Congressionally-mandated cap of 45,000. The embattled agency, whose director has resigned effective in June and whose scope of service is being drastically cut back by the Bush administration wants to hand out 400 of those pink slips to screeners at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Over my dead body. That's the collective reaction from Georgia's congressional delegation.

"It's a decision beyond comprehension," said Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), quoted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Isakson, together with Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) wrote a blistering letter to the TSA opposing any cutbacks whatsoever at Hartsfield. They believe the cutbacks will not only cause major problems as the summer travel season approaches, but will have a ripple-effect at airports nationwide.

Members of the Georgia delegation to the House of Representatives are also incensed. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) promised he would "fight any effort that reduces the number of screeners at Hartsfield-Jackson, slows down the security process or decreases the safety of passengers flying out of Atlanta." He, too, was quoted by the Journal-Constitution.

TSA spokesman Mark Hatfield called the blustering from Capitol Hill an "overreaction." He told the Atlanta paper that criticism from Congress pays no heed to "the continuous work TSA has done in Atlanta and across the country to successfully staff for maximum security and customer service."

FMI: www.tsa.gov, www.atlanta-airport.com