A report detailing misconduct within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was released on Thursday by the Majority Staff of the House Homeland Security Committee following a six-month investigation led by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY).
The report found that TSA employee misconduct increased by nearly 29 percent from 2012-2015, and that the TSA conducted fewer investigations despite the increase in misconduct allegations.
“This report comes at a pivotal time for the Transportation Security Administration, which has long been plagued by allegations and instances of employee misconduct from the highest levels of the agency on down to the frontline work force,” Katko, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security, said. “Federal employees, particularly those entrusted with the security of the American public, must be held to the highest ethical standards.”
The report concluded that the TSA needs bold reforms led by senior officials with a strong commitment to change and made 17 recommendations for the TSA to implement to improve its handling of employee misconduct.
“While the vast majority of TSA personnel are dedicated, hardworking employees, their work is too often undermined by a lack of management support for those willing to speak out against wrongdoing, as well as fellow employees who abuse the position of trust that has been afforded to them,” Katko said. “I commend Administrator Neffenger for his hard work to right the ship at TSA during his time at the helm, and it is my hope that this report will spur further action to mitigate instances of misconduct at TSA.”
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, who co-led the investigation with Katko, called growing misconduct within the TSA’s ranks, as well as a lack of accountability, “alarming and unacceptable.”
“We’re in the highest threat environment since 9/11 and terrorists are intent on attacking civil aviation, as we’ve seen in Brussels and Istanbul,” Perry said. “TSA needs significant and lasting reforms to address its employee misconduct crisis. I urge Administrator Neffenger to immediately implement the recommendations in our report to improve the integrity of the workforce and ensure they are focused on their core mission — protecting travelers.”