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GAO-04-315R 1 (2003-12-12)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaamjv0001 and id is 1 raw text is: I Accountability * Integrity * Reliability United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548 December 12, 2003 The Honorable Ernest F. Hollings Ranking Member Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United States Senate Subject: Posthearing Questions Related to Aviation and Port Security Dear Senator Hollings: This letter responds to your November 17, 2003, request that we provide answers to questions relating to our September 9, 2003, testimony on transportation security.' The questions posed by Senator Frank Lautenberg to GAO, along with our responses, follow. 1. I am concerned that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are dealing with our nation's pressing life and death security needs by playing shell games with critical resources. Last week, Secretary Ridge announced that 5,000 new air marshals would be trained, but that these individuals would come from the existing ranks of custom and immigration agents. During high-threat periods, this cross-training plan might enhance air security but will come at the expense of border and ground security. Under the Administration's plan to utilize current immigration and customs employees to double as air marshals, how will DHS ensure that, during high-threat periods, there are adequate personnel both in air marshal roles and at the border as customs/immigration agents? DHS's plan does not explicitly address the adequacy of the current immigration, customs, and air marshal workforces to address concurrent high threats to border, ground, and aviation security. Rather, the plan provides for temporarily enhancing the air marshal workforce to respond to high threats to aviation. Specifically, according to Secretary Ridge, cross-training immigration and customs officers in air 'U.S. General Accounting Office, Aviation Security: Progress Since September 11, 2001, and the Challenges Ahead, GAO-03-1150T (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 9, 2003) and U.S. General Accounting Office, Maritime Security: Progress Made in Implementing Maritime Transportation Security Act, but Concerns Remain, GAO-03-1155T (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 9, 2003). GAO-04-315R Aviation and Port Security

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