Proposal Would Remake Agency In FAA's Image

If some members of Congress have their way, the TSA will soon get an extreme makeover worthy of a television special -- in the style of the FAA.

The staff of the House Homeland Security Committee is drafting legislation to reconfigure the Transportation Security Administration's organizational structure, to make it similar to that of the Federal Aviation Administration. That word comes from a Congressional staffer speaking at the fall meeting of the Regional Airline Association (RAA).

"The TSA does a lot of things that you would not consider business-like," said House Homeland Security Committee staff member Adam Tsao. "If this were to happen, they would use industrial engineering to make the tables [at the checkpoints] longer and find the right ratios between the metal detectors and the X-ray machines."

"And, maybe we can figure out how to weed out the grandmothers and other low-risk passengers," he added.

Under the proposal, TSA screeners would be separated from the agency's regulators and standards writers, just as the FAA's operational side -- the air traffic controllers -- currently have an arms-length relationship with the policy development and regulatory side of that agency. A chief operating officer would then be hired to bridge the gap and promote a more business -- and customer-service oriented --environment.

The committee also would like to see more private-sector involvement in the TSA, according to media reports, including bringing in more screeners from private companies to replace government workers in those posts. Although a TSA program is currently in place to promote such a change, only six airports have participated in the program so far.

With private company involvement, would also come government savings in the TSA, according to Tsao.

"The private sector would need to capture some of the savings. In that environment, you can start guiding the TSA along a supply-chain concept so they realize they are part of the transportation industry," said Tsao. "They need to figure out how they can become a better business."

FMI: www.tsa.gov