Sen. Tim Kaine Advocates Increase in TSA Funding
With complaints growing about long wait times to get through the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) screening at airports, some lawmakers are calling for an increase in funding for the agency.
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, D-VA, joined 22 of his colleagues in signing a lettercalling for more resources.
Despite the booming travel industry, Kaine's office says TSA has lost $250 million in funding since 2011.
"I’m trying to make sure that Congress does the right thing to appropriate sufficient resources so that they can protect American safety, but also do it in a way that doesn't slow them overly much,” Kaine said. “We can't just ask them to do better and then starve them on resources. We have to make sure they have what they need.”
Recent reports show some travelers are waiting in security lines for hours and at times, the backups have caused them to miss their flights.
Press Release from Senator Tim Kaine:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the summer’s busy travel season rapidly approaching and lines growing longer at the nation’s airports, today U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 22 of his Senate colleagues in calling for increased funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to help address long wait times and better ensure passenger safety.
TSA funding has decreased by nearly $250 million since 2011 even though the number of passengers screened has increased. In 2015, TSA screened more than 708 million passengers – an increase of 40.7 million compared to 2014. In a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senators called for additional funding to help ensure adequate staffing levels, reinforce screening efforts, and help expand security training programs.
In the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Kaine and his colleagues secured an amendment to strengthen U.S. airport security, especially in non-secure “soft” target areas at airports like check-in and baggage claim areas. That amendment was approved by a strong, bipartisan vote of 91-5.
"Even while threats to transportation have grown, making TSA’s mission increasingly complex, TSA’s annual budget has gone from $7.688 billion in FY2011 to $7.44 billion in FY2016 – a decrease of $248 million or 3.23 percent over this 5 year period,” the Senators wrote. "Tragically, we were reminded all too recently by the attack on the Brussels Metro and airport earlier this year that protecting our airports and surface transportation through substantial security measures is vital to protecting our citizens, and in light of this urge that funding is restored-not reduced.
"Recent reports indicate that some TSA security lines have stretched for several hours, in extreme cases, causing individuals to miss their flights. Security is absolutely paramount and these long wait times indicate not only a discomfort to our constituents, but more importantly a severe lack of security resources at some of the busiest airports in the country. For this reason, we urge continued funding to ensure TSA has an adequate number of staff and resources to meet the needs of the traveling public.”
Joining Kaine in signing the letter are U.S. Senators Cory Booker, Bob Menendez, Sherrod Brown, Richard Blumenthal, Robert P. Casey, Jr., Maria Cantwell, Mazie K. Hirono, Edward J. Markey, Dick Durbin, Al Franken, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Tammy Baldwin, Elizabeth Warren, Angus S. King, Jr., Ron Wyden, Martin Heinrich, Jeffrey A. Merkley, Barbara Boxer, Bill Nelson, Dianne Feinstein, Debbie Stabenow and Charles E. Schumer.
