It is currently 03/28/24 4:57 pm

All times are UTC - 6 hours




  Page 1 of 1   [ 12 posts ]
Author Message
 Offline
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/28/09 7:16 am • # 1 
User avatar
Administrator

Joined: 11/07/08
Posts: 42112
Fighting terrorism should NOT be a partisan issue ~ actions have consequences ~ yet again, the Rs refuse to take responsibility for their obstructionist games ~ on the other hand, there is and can be no proof that a new TSA administrator would make a difference ~ the delayed funding for advanced/improved equipment, however, is squarely on the Rs ~ Sooz


December 28, 2009

GOP blame at TSA?

As Republicans seek to put the blame for the widespread perception of ineptness at the Transportation Security Administration on the Obama administration, Democrats are arguing that Republican legislators bear part of the blame, and that they're politically vulnerable on the subject.

Perhaps the largest impediment to change at the agency: South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint has a hold on the appointment of a TSA chief, over his concern that the new administration could allow security screeners to unionize.

Republicans have cast votes against the key TSA funding measure, the 2010 appropriation bill for the Department of Homeland Security contained, which included funding for the TSA, including for explosives detection systems and other aviation security measures. In the June 24 vote in the House, leading Republicans including John Boehner, Pete Hoekstra, Mike Pence and Paul Ryan voted against the bill, amid a procedural dispute over the appropriations process, a Democrat points out. A full 108 Republicans voted against the conference version, including Boehner, Boehner, Hoekstra, Pence, Michelle Bachmann, Marsha Blackburn, Darrell Issa, and Joe Wilson.

The conference bill included more than $4 billion for "screening operations," including $1.1 billion in funding for explosives detection systems, including $778 million for buying and installing the systems.

UPDATE: DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton responds

Quote:
Democrats have only themselves to blame for not having a confirmed TSA administrator. President Obama waited 243 days in office before making a nomination and Harry Reid has been too busy trading earmarks for votes on health care to schedule debate on the nominee. This is an important debate because many Americans don't want someone running the TSA who stands ready to give union bosses the power to veto or delay future security measures at our airports.

Relevant appropriations language after the jump.

For necessary expenses of the Transportation Security Administration related to providing civil aviation security services pursuant to the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (Public Law 107-71; 115 Stat. 597; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note), $5,214,040,000, to remain available until September 30, 2011, of which not to exceed $10,000 shall be for official reception and representation expenses: Provided, That of the total amount made available under this heading, not to exceed $4,358,076,000 shall be for screening operations, of which $1,116,406,000 shall be available for explosives detection systems; and not to exceed $855,964,000 shall be for aviation security direction and enforcement: Provided further, That of the amount made available in the preceding proviso for explosives detection systems, $778,300,000 shall be available for the purchase and installation of these systems, of which not less than 28 percent shall be available for the purchase and installation of certified explosives detection systems at medium- and small-sized airports: Provided further, That any award to deploy explosives detection systems shall be based on risk, the airport's current reliance on other screening solutions, lobby congestion resulting in increased security concerns, high injury rates, airport readiness, and increased cost effectiveness: Provided further, That of the total amount provided, $1,250,000 shall be made available for Safe Skies Alliance to develop and enhance research and training capabilities for Transportation Security Officer improvised explosive recognition training:

…

For necessary expenses of the Transportation Security Administration related to providing transportation security support and intelligence pursuant to the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (Public Law 107-71; 115 Stat. 597; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note), $1,001,780,000, to remain available until September 30, 2011: Provided, That of the funds appropriated under this heading, $20,000,000 may not be obligated for headquarters administration until the Secretary of Homeland Security submits to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives detailed expenditure plans for air cargo security, and for checkpoint support and explosives detection systems refurbishment, procurement, and installations on an airport-by-airport basis for fiscal year 2010: Provided further, That these plans shall be submitted no later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.



Top
  
 Offline
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/28/09 7:35 am • # 2 
Administrator

Joined: 01/16/16
Posts: 30003
What else id a "blame party" supposed to do other than blame?


Top
  
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/28/09 6:16 pm • # 3 
It was an international flight. How much control does Homeland Security really have over who gets on a plane in another country? All we can do is control who gets off the plane once it lands in the US.


Top
  
 Offline
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/29/09 5:50 am • # 4 
User avatar
Administrator

Joined: 11/07/08
Posts: 42112
DeMint is demented ~ HE himself is "delay[ing] future security improvements at our airports" ~ Southers is supremely qualified for the job ~ DeMint needs to get over himself ~ and FAST ~ Sooz


By Brad Johnson at 9:25 am

Continuing his war on labor, DeMint blocks nominated TSA chief.

In the aftermath of the attempted Christmas airplane bombing, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) is unrepentant about his hold on President Obama's nomination for the head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the division of the Department of Homeland Security that handles airport security. Obama nominated Erroll Southers - a former FBI special agent, the Los Angeles World Airports Police Department assistant chief for homeland security and intelligence, and the associate director of the University of Southern California's Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events - to run TSA in September. Southers' nomination was approved by two Senate committees, but DeMint has placed a hold on Southers "in an effort to prevent TSA workers from joining a labor union":
Quote:
Instead, the post remains vacant because Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has held up President Obama's nominee in an effort to prevent TSA workers from joining a labor union. DeMint, in a statement, said Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's alleged attempted attack in Detroit "is a perfect example of why the Obama administration should not unionize the TSA."

DeMint claims unionization of TSA workers would give "union bosses" the power "to veto or delay future security improvements at our airports."

Officials actually concerned with passenger safety disagree with DeMint's hold. "Friday's terrorist attack on U.S. aviation makes it all the more imperative," Marshall McClain, the president of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association, said, "that there be no further delays in filling this crucial position."

Related Posts:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/12/29/tsa-demint/



Top
  
 Offline
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/29/09 5:54 am • # 5 
User avatar
Administrator

Joined: 11/07/08
Posts: 42112
Calluna wrote:
It was an international flight. How much control does Homeland Security really have over who gets on a plane in another country? All we can do is control who gets off the plane once it lands in the US.

Calluna, I'm willing to bet there are international agreements in terms of passenger screenings ~ and this was a flight from Europe, which shares much of our security concerns and efforts ~

Sooz


Top
  
 Offline
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/29/09 6:42 am • # 6 
User avatar
Administrator

Joined: 11/07/08
Posts: 42112
More from demented DeMint ~ I repeat yet again: actions have consequences ~ Sooz


December 29, 2009
Posted: December 29th, 2009 12:18 PM ET

From CNN Congressional Producer Evan Glass

Washington (CNN)
- Elected officials on Capitol Hill are planning to hold hearings in January to investigate the safety gaps in airline security, made more pronounced since the attempted bombing over Detroit on Christmas Day.

But one important officeholder, the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, likely won't be present at any of the hearings - simply because his nomination is being blocked in the Senate.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, has been holding up the confirmation of Erroll Southers to be TSA chief, in an effort to prevent TSA employees from joining a labor union. Southers is a former FBI special agent and counterterrorism expert.

"The attempted terror attack in Detroit is a perfect example of why the Obama Administration should not unionize the TSA and allow our airline security decisions to be dictated by union bosses," DeMint said in a statement. "I hope this incident will lead the President to re-think this policy and put the interests of American travelers ahead of organized labor."

DeMint points to inefficiencies that will arise from the organizing of TSA employees, which he says may ultimately jeopardize the safety of Americans, such as the inability of rewarding exceptional screeners and firing those who are underperforming, the inflexibility to change protocols as emergency situations arise, and the need to require more collective bargaining as new safety mechanisms create new job descriptions.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid contends that Democrats "have been trying to confirm Mr. Southers" since his nomination was approved by two separate Senate committees.

"Sadly the Republican obstructionism of just one person, Senator Demint, prevented TSA from having the leadership in place that the organization deserves," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

But the largest organizer of transportation security officers, the American Federation of Government Employees, disagrees with DeMint's central claims against unionization - citing the unobstructed cooperation by union members of both the New York City police and fire departments in the aftermath of the September 11attacks.

"This is not an issue of security. There is no evidence that labor rights have any effect on transportation security officers," said Emily Ryan, spokeswoman for AFGE.

AFGE represents 12,000 of TSA's nearly 40,000 transportation security officers in many personnel matters, while also overseeing the broader collective bargaining of nearly 40,000 other government employees at the Department of Homeland Security, including the Coast Guard, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"This is a dedicated workforce who see their jobs as important to the security of the nation," said Ryan.

While Southers' nomination is being blocked, there is an acting administrator of the TSA running the agency.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/20 ... more-83394



Top
  
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/29/09 7:10 am • # 7 
sooz08 wrote:
Calluna wrote:
It was an international flight. How much control does Homeland Security really have over who gets on a plane in another country? All we can do is control who gets off the plane once it lands in the US.

Calluna, I'm willing to bet there are international agreements in terms of passenger screenings ~ and this was a flight from Europe, which shares much of our security concerns and efforts ~

Sooz


Of course there are agreements, but there's only so much we can do on our side if security measures break down at the other end. It's silly blaming agencies in the US because someone screwed up in Amsterdam. The best we really can hope to do is flag someone like that from getting through customs and immigration on our end, or doing what was done in this case of arresting him before he ever got off the plane. What's the alternative? Refuse to allow any US flag carriers to arrive from Amsterdam if we're not happy with their security measures? Or any flights to arrive from Amsterdam? Does everyone have to connect in another country? That's just not practical, especially considering how many flights arrive from Amsterdam in the US every day as a common connection location in Europe.

I also think this is the perfect example that no matter how much security measures you put in place, someone can still get through it. Frankly, I don't want everyone given a full body cavity search and every bag hand searched, which is the only way you'd guarantee such a thing could never happen. Yes, there's a risk some nut will get on a plane and try to blow it up or hijack it, but it seems lower than the risk that some nut will walk into a school classroom or mall and open fire. There are nuts in the world, and some of those nuts have access to lethal weapons. Nobody can completely avoid all risk of an encounter with them, and it's ridiculous to waste a lot of money and inconveniencing the public creating an illusion that we can.


Top
  
 Offline
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/29/09 3:06 pm • # 8 
User avatar
Editorialist

Joined: 01/21/09
Posts: 3638
Location: The DMV (DC,MD,VA)
I saw Demint on the news channels today talking out of both sides of his mouth. He doesn't know what side he is on. Cannot analyze complex issue


Top
  
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/30/09 3:52 am • # 9 
The furor over the DeMint hold is just Harry Reid's attempt to blame someone else for his own incompetence. DeMint's "hold" doesn't prevent Reid from bringing the nomination to the floor unless there are at least 40 other Senators who oppose the nomination. So unless Reid can't muster the support of his entire caucus, he could have gotten this guy confirmed already.

Reid is simply incompetent, and that's the only reason the TSA director hasn't been confirmed.


Top
  
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/30/09 6:08 am • # 10 
Don't let the facts get in the way of your line of thinking Gopqed.


Top
  
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/30/09 6:54 am • # 11 

The facts are that a "hold" is simply an informal notification of intent to filibuster if the matter comes to the floor. It holds no power unless there is sufficient support to defeat a cloture motion. Reid is under no requirement to honor such a "hold" and can bring the matter to the floor at any time.

Don't let the facts get inthe way of your line of thinking.



Top
  
 Post subject: "GOP blame at TSA?"
PostPosted: 12/30/09 4:45 pm • # 12 
[b wrote:
gopqed[/b]]

The facts are that a "hold" is simply an informal notification of intent to filibuster if the matter comes to the floor. It holds no power unless there is sufficient support to defeat a cloture motion. Reid is under no requirement to honor such a "hold" and can bring the matter to the floor at any time.

Don't let the facts get inthe way of your line of thinking.

Reid is a pompous AZZ!


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

  Page 1 of 1   [ 12 posts ] New Topic Add Reply

All times are UTC - 6 hours



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
© Voices or Choices.
All rights reserved.