Elaine Duke, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has discussed counterterrorism efforts with foreign leaders during a visit to the U.K. and a meeting of senior officials from G7 nations in Italy. DHS said Saturday Duke met with her British counterpart Amber Rudd and with top officials from the U.K. Home …
Read More »House Committee Report: Airports Lack ‘Full Employee Screening’ at Access Points
A new report by the House Homeland Security Committee has found that a majority of U.S. airports do not implement “full employee screening” at access points and that conflict between government and industry stakeholders hampers efforts to build up aviation security. The report titled “America’s Airports: The Threat From Within” …
Read More »Report Outlines Priority Tech Areas for DHS’ Integrated Product Teams
The Department of Homeland Security has published a report that outlines 24 focus areas of technology research-and-development initiatives by DHS’ integrated product teams in fiscal year 2016. DHS said Monday it categorized the IPTs’ technical focus areas into aviation security, biological threats, border security, cybersecurity and counterterrorism. “Threats to our homeland are …
Read More »House Panel’s FY 2017 DHS Funding Bill to Allocate $41B in Discretionary Budget
The House Appropriations Committee has introduced a bill that would authorize $41.1 billion in discretionary budget for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2017. The committee said Wednesday the proposed FY 2017 DHS appropriations bill reflects a $100 million increase from the enacted FY 2016 discretionary budget and …
Read More »TSA Testing BAE, NCR Passenger ID Tech at Airports
The Transportation Security Administration is testing a new system for automatically checking boarding passes and passengers’ identification, the Federal Times reports. The system, developed in part by BAE Systems and NCR Government Systems, is already being fielded at Dulles International Airport. TSA will start to test the system at George Bush …
Read More »House Panels Call for TSA Overhaul
Prior to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, airport security and screening was handled the private sector. Since then, airport security has been handled by the Transportation Security Administration, an agency composed of a federal workforce to screen all commercial airline passengers and baggage, which was created as part …
Read More »TSA Appoints New Members to Security Advisory Panel
The Transportation Security Administration has appointed 24 new members to its Aviation Security Advisory Committee, established in 1989 after the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing. The panel advises the agency and gives recommendations for improving airport security methods, equipment and procedures. “One of my main priorities since joining TSA has …
Read More »TSA Testing Behavior-Based Screening at Four U.S. Airports
The Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday it had begun testing a new airport screening program based on behavior recognition. The known-traveler initiative, known as PreCheck, will be tested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Dallas/Fort Worth International and Miami International airports. Domestic flight passengers on Delta and American airlines …
Read More »TSA to Purchase New Airport Document Scanners from BAE
The Transportation Security Administration has awarded $79 million each to BAE Systems’ information technology business and to two other companies for 30 new document scanners at airports across the U.S. Each company will supply 10 machines each, with the machines costing $3.2 million per unit. The machines are capable of …
Read More »Kids Under 13 Can Keep Shoes On at Airports, Napolitano Says
Children 12 years old and younger soon will be able to keep their shoes on while going through airport security, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Tuesday. New DHS policy, to be rolled out in the coming months, also includes other ways to screen young children without resorting to a …
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