TSA's Removal of Rapiscan Body Scanners Not Without Hiccups
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement in response to a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) report on the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) management of the removal of Rapiscan advanced imaging technology (AIT) machines from TSA ownership. The report, entitled "TSA's Management of Secure 1000SP Advanced Imaging Technology Units" (OIG-14-138) found that one of the units was transferred to a state agency with sensitive security information still installed.
"Following the TSA's decision to remove all Rapiscan advanced imaging technology units from airports due to their failure to comply with Congressionally mandated privacy standards, I requested that the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security review the agency's management of the removal and redistribution of the units."
"While I am pleased to learn that TSA complied with federal property transfer requirements when redistributing these machines, I am troubled by the Inspector General's finding that TSA allowed one of the machines to be transferred to the state of North Carolina without first ensuring that all sensitive security information from the unit was removed. Although corrected, this failure could have led to sensitive information being released – possibly compromising aviation security – had the Inspector General not been investigating this matter."
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