The office of Sen. Barbara A. Boxer, D-Calif., issued the following news release:
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) praised the announcement today by the Transportation Security Administration that Los Angeles International Airport will be one of the next airports to feature a new TSA pilot program - called "TSA PreCheck" - that allows certain travelers who get pre-screened to go through expedited security screening at the airport.
Senator Boxer said, "I am so pleased that LAX will be among the first airports in the nation to test out this program to expedite security screening for passengers. I've long supported trusted traveler programs as a way to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of screening procedures while continuing to protect the flying public."
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today, Senator Boxer asked TSA Administrator John Pistole about efforts to expand the agency's program to speed security screening for known travelers. Pistole, in his testimony, announced that Los Angeles International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport will be the next three airports to test out the pilot program.
The TSA PreCheck program, a partnership with U.S. air carriers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), was launched at four airports last month - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Dallas/Fort Worth International and Miami International. The PreCheck program allows passengers to voluntarily undergo pre-screening to become eligible for expedited screening at certain security checkpoints at the airport. For more on the program, click here (http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2011/1004.shtm).
Under today's announcement, American Airlines passengers who fly out of Los Angeles International Airport could be eligible to participate in the PreCheck program. Pistole said in his testimony (http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Hearings&ContentRecord_id=8f993bd4-ecf6-43d6-af68-54798fcbeb0f&ContentType_id=14f995b9-dfa5-407a-9d35-56cc7152a7ed&Group_id=b06c39af-e033-4cba-9221-de668ca1978a) that the program would go into effect at LAX in early 2012.
Senator Boxer wrote a letter (http://boxer.senate.gov/en/press/releases/111910B.cfm) to Administrator Pistole in November 2010 urging him to expand "trusted traveler" programs. Already many U.S. air carrier pilots participate in expedited security procedures at airports nationwide.
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