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November 21, 2011

Transportation Security Stakeholders Need Better Quality Information from DHS

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, issued the statement below in response to the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the sharing of transportation security information. The report, directed by the 9/11 Commission Act, is an analysis of a survey of recipients and stakeholders of this information. The report, entitled "Transportation Security Information Sharing: Stakeholders Generally Satisfied but TSA Could Improve Analysis, Awareness, and Accountability" (GAO-12-44) found that 57 percent of stakeholders were satisfied with TSA security products and briefings.

However, these stakeholders noted that TSA should make key improvements to their products, including providing both actionable information and guidance on suggested security measures to take in response to the information. Most troubling, GAO found that a significant portion of stakeholders did not receive some or all of TSA's security products, such as the DHS Homeland Security Information Sharing Network-Critical Sectors portal (HSIN-CS), DHS' primary mechanism for sharing security-related information.

GAO recommends that TSA address the stakeholders' need for key actionable analysis, increase outreach to stakeholders to increase knowledge and use of the HSIN, and establish performance measures to make the information accountable.

Ranking Member Thompson released the following statement in response to the report:

"The significant stakeholder participation in this report shows that there is clear engagement on security in the transportation community. DHS must take the necessary actions to assure that relevant and critical information is available in a timely manner to every stakeholder in the Transportation sector."

Link to Report

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Media Contact: Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978