1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

I am very concerned with the Trump administration is pushing to expand the use of private contractors for airport security through a new public-private partnership initiative called TSA Gold+. Critics of this program make sharp warnings from labor unions who call it a dangerous step back toward the fragmented, pre-9/11 private contracting model. Three airports plan on adopting this program, Des Moines International Airport, Charleston International Airport, and Tampa International Airport. Private contractors will manage checkpoint screening personnel and security technology with oversight from the Transportation Security Administration. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing thousands of TSA officers, strongly criticizes the push. They argue privatization threatens public safety, strips workers of federal benefits and collective bargaining rights, and reverts to inconsistent standards reminiscent of pre-9/11 security. While current federal screeners at transitioning airports are given first priority to apply for jobs with the incoming private contractors, the broader federal budget proposal aims to cut thousands of TSA positions nationwide. Congress must get a full accounting of this change and ensure their are sufficient guidelines and oversight to ensure our airtravel is safe. Another 9/11 style attack would be a devastating and unacceptable risk. The US Department of Transportation must get this right.