Lawmakers express worry over airport security following private company breaches.
Members of Congress Call for Increased Oversight of Clear
Members of Congress are demanding greater oversight of Clear, the private company that provides identity verification services at airport security checkpoints. This comes after lawmakers were briefed on multiple security incidents involving the company.
Security Breaches Prompt Concern
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) informed lawmakers about two separate incidents where passengers were able to bypass security checkpoints without proper identification or membership in the Clear program. Although these individuals were unable to board an aircraft, the breaches raised serious concerns.
The breaches occurred in January and March of this year, with one incident involving a passenger who used a boarding pass found in the garbage to bypass a security checkpoint. Politico reported these details, prompting lawmakers to call for increased oversight from the TSA.
Lawmakers Demand Action
Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the ranking member of the committee overseeing the Department of Homeland Security, expressed his concerns about Clear’s lax security controls. He stated, “It is apparent that the company puts its bottom line ahead of the security of our aviation system.” Thompson urged the TSA to address these vulnerabilities promptly.
Thompson added, “Each passing day the homeland is at greater risk until TSA acts to completely close these security vulnerabilities that it was alerted to last year. We cannot afford any additional delay.”
In response to a previous incident where a passenger used another person’s identity to access Clear, the TSA has implemented additional identification checks for enrolled travelers. Previously, members could bypass TSA identification reviews by using biometric scans at Clear kiosks.
The House Homeland Security Committee was briefed on this issue, and Representatives Thompson and John Katko (R-NY) sent a letter to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, urging the agency to require all passengers to have their identities verified by TSA officers.
Thompson and other senators are also calling for Clear passengers to verify their identities with a TSA agent, potentially rendering the company’s services obsolete. Clear currently charges $189 per year for expedited security screening.
Clear spokesperson Annabel Walsh defended the company, stating that the incidents were isolated and not related to their biometric system. She emphasized that immediate action was taken, including the termination of employees involved in the security breaches and additional training for all staff.
As the debate over Clear’s security measures continues, it remains to be seen how the TSA will respond to these calls for increased oversight.
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