Members of Congress have called on the Transportation Security Administration to turn over inspection reports showing whether airport X-ray machines that screen passengers and luggage consistently meet requirements to emit low levels of radiation, USA Today reports.
Nicholas Kimball, a TSA spokesman, told the newspaper there is no reason for concern. “All radiation surveys conducted to date have found radiation emissions to be below the applicable national standard,” he said.
However, USA Today, which requested the inspection reports last month, cited a government study showing that TSA and its contractors have sometimes failed in the past to detect when devices used to screen baggage emitted more radiation than permitted.
The 2008 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said that some X-ray machines were missing protective lead curtains and that TSA employees had disabled safety features by using duct tape, paper towels or other materials.
Jill Segraves, TSA director of occupational safety, said the agency has made key changes in its monitoring of the equipment since the CDC study, which was carried out at a dozen airports in 2003 and 2004. She said the agency now uses a different maintenance contractor, trains employees to identify safety issues and services the machines every month.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, the top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on federal workforce issues, said he is also concerned about radiation exposure for TSA employees.
“It should send some flashing red lights when they won’t allow the public to review that data,” he said.
Kimball said the agency will try to make inspection reports available but will first need to review them for sensitive information. He did not give a time for their release.
Separately, Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., in a letter Monday asked inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the TSA’s use of full body x-ray screening equipment. In the letter, Markey said he was concerned that TSA’s “lack of expertise in radiation health and safety could lead to unintentional exposures to radiation of both TSA employees and members of the public.”
Here’s the news the lame stream media isn’t reporting today:
https://www.checkpointusa.org/blog/index.php/2010/12/05/p236
Phil Mocek is going on trial in New Mexico in the defense of every American’s Civil Liberties. Let’s pay attention folks. Our futures are at stake.
The TSA’s illegal activities and resistance to public accountability have been legally challenged by many more citizens and civic groups than has been reported by the news. We need to pay attention to the outcomes of these challenges, because the future of our nation hangs in the balance.
For the people, by the people – or fascist oligarchy. The courts are about to decide.
The TSA has squandered every bit of credibility it ever had with lies, assaults on civil liberties, assaults on public safety, and more lies.
The TSA desperately needs accountability. If we can’t shut them down and save ourselves the Billions in taxes the TSA squanders, we can at least make the TSA accountable to their employers, the citizens of the U.S.A.