The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has no plans to eliminate security screening at smaller airports despite a recent proposal to cut back in an effort to save money.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske confirmed to USA Today that the idea was “off the table.”
“We’re not doing that. Real simple,” he told the publication. “We looked at that and decided that was not an issue worth pursuing. Off the table.”
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“Part of what any federal agency does over the course of a given year is we look at gaps we need to cover, because our budget process is moving, and where can we find efficiencies,” added Pekoske. “We looked at it and said the benefits that it would present are not worth the risks it would introduce and we just decided not to pursue.”
The agency came under fire last week following reports that it was considering eliminating screening at approximately 150 small- and medium-sized airports across the country.
Shortly after, it was reported that TSA was facing more than $300 million in budget cuts between now and 2020. Documents suggested the decision to eliminate some screening could save as much as $115 million annually.
The polarizing proposal was quickly met by backlash from some TSA officials and security experts who believed it posed a significant risk. The negative headlines came on the heels of stunning details regarding the agency’s Quiet Skies surveillance program.
If implemented, the change would have affected approximately 10,000 passengers daily or about 0.5 percent of the people who fly out of U.S. airports on a given day and likely put more pressure on larger airports to seek out potential threats.
