Federal investigation questions TSA program
Lawmakers to discuss continued funding
A federal probe of a Transportation Security Administration program to screen suspicious behavior of passengers at airports suggests the effort which has cost almost $1 billion since 2007 has not been proven effective.
The Government Accountability Office said its investigation found that the results of the TSA program - called Screening of Passengers by Observations Techniques - were "no better than chance." Under the program, agents identify suspicious looking people and talk to them to determine whether they are a threat.
The GAO report released Wednesday found that TSA has yet to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers with the House Homeland Security Committee said the report raises serious questions about the screening program.
Committee members will consider the report's findings at a hearing Thursday.