GovernmentExecutive.com

Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Susan Collins and ranking Democrat Joseph Lieberman have asked the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to explain its role in obtaining sensitive data on airline passengers from JetBlue Airways for a Defense Department database project.

In a Friday letter to Asa Hutchinson, the Homeland Security Department's undersecretary for border and transportation security, the senators said media reports have indicated that TSA was involved in the transfer of millions of passenger records to the Army contractor and said despite TSA's claim that its involvement was minimal, "it has come to our attention that this may not have been the case."

Army officials told committee staff that airlines sought and received TSA approval before releasing the data.

Collins, R-Maine, and Lieberman of Connecticut said obtaining public trust in the new Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System depends upon TSA being open about its involvement in the JetBlue transfer.

COMMENTS

• Sounds like Congress may be coming to grips with TSA's crossing the line on information. JetBlue should not have given the agency any information and neither should any other airline (Northwest?). I do not fly JetBlue or Northwest anymore because of their actions - that in my opinion are a violation of law! Congress should stop this system and have the agency begin all over with the proper approvals of what they want to do. This might have stopped the SS but it seems to be a minor problem for TSA. GovExec.com reader Posted February 18, 2004 6:33 AM