Sub-committee hearing
Nov 30, 2010 | 9:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Lufthansa Miles & More, Flying Blue, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 1,894
Sub-committee hearing
All:
Next senate hearing on aviation security is the Aviation, Operations and Security Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation will be 2 December 15 at 14:15 on "International Aviation Screening Standards"
The sub-committee has yet to publish a witness list, although my own Senator promises it will be more balanced and inclusive than the shameful hearing on the 17th in which John Pistole was the only witness.
If any of you are constituents of Sub-Committee members (member list here: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/in...etyandSecurity), please, please call and ask that they make sure to include travellers and TSA critics on the witness list, so they get a 360 view of the issue, and not TSA propaganda.
So far, nobody confirmed on the witness list, check back here.
If any of you are in Washin
Next senate hearing on aviation security is the Aviation, Operations and Security Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation will be 2 December 15 at 14:15 on "International Aviation Screening Standards"
The sub-committee has yet to publish a witness list, although my own Senator promises it will be more balanced and inclusive than the shameful hearing on the 17th in which John Pistole was the only witness.
If any of you are constituents of Sub-Committee members (member list here: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/in...etyandSecurity), please, please call and ask that they make sure to include travellers and TSA critics on the witness list, so they get a 360 view of the issue, and not TSA propaganda.
So far, nobody confirmed on the witness list, check back here.
If any of you are in Washin
Nov 30, 2010 | 10:03 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: United
Posts: 2,710
I would like to see the woman that was detained by the TSA for the breast milk. She's good looking and a lawyer. She'd be able to handle herself well in the hearing and has a good story to tell with video to back it up.
Nov 30, 2010 | 10:28 am
#6
Join Date: May 2010
Location: FLL - Nice and Warm
Programs: TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 1,025
I wrote to both of my Senators:
+10000000 !
Please stop the TSA using backscatter X-rays on large groups of people. We will statistically cause more cancers than terrorist deaths. This is just wrong!
Also stop the invasive patdowns, as my family and many friends will no longer fly until this intrusion is eliminated. Would you subject your wife, children and teenagers to "enhanced patdowns" or naked body scanning?
Terrorists are likely to attack shopping malls, trains, buses and subways instead of planes. The times square incident and the printer cartridge incident shows this to be the case. The underwear bomber was an error in intelligence, not screening. Besides which, all attacks have emanated from OUTSIDE the US. Send the body scanners overseas where they MIGHT help.
Aggressive TSA screenings will only breed contempt for government and may well produce domestic terrorism in opposition to the government.
Your vote depends on this issue.
Also stop the invasive patdowns, as my family and many friends will no longer fly until this intrusion is eliminated. Would you subject your wife, children and teenagers to "enhanced patdowns" or naked body scanning?
Terrorists are likely to attack shopping malls, trains, buses and subways instead of planes. The times square incident and the printer cartridge incident shows this to be the case. The underwear bomber was an error in intelligence, not screening. Besides which, all attacks have emanated from OUTSIDE the US. Send the body scanners overseas where they MIGHT help.
Aggressive TSA screenings will only breed contempt for government and may well produce domestic terrorism in opposition to the government.
Your vote depends on this issue.
Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Dec 2, 2010 at 12:20 am Reason: merge consecutive posts
Nov 30, 2010 | 11:37 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: here and there
Programs: EB*G, UA ex1K
Posts: 573
This post has homepage and phone contacts for all the senators on the committee. (It refers to last month's committee meeting, but the contact info should be valid until after 20 January.)
If none of these people is "your" senator, contact the committee chair and subcommittee chair. They will definitely have a staffer who is responsible for their work in the committee with whom you can ask to speak.
If none of these people is "your" senator, contact the committee chair and subcommittee chair. They will definitely have a staffer who is responsible for their work in the committee with whom you can ask to speak.
Nov 30, 2010 | 12:48 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: MSP
Programs: DL-PM, Small Luxury Hotels & Proud Member of TSA Disparager-Gold
Posts: 774
What luck...Senator Klobuchar is on the sub-committee and I just handled the wedding of one of her staffers. On a side note she stood up during speeches and took over the microphone...she is an audience hound. But I digress - I'm calling my groom and bending his ear a while.
Nov 30, 2010 | 1:06 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: PIT
Programs: Marriott Silver, Priority Club Platinum, Hilton Gold, Airline Peon (United, Delta, Southwest)
Posts: 335
Good luck. Don't know what her opinion is on the grope, but be aware that she did co-sponsor S.3536 -- SAFER AIR Act of 2010
Look it up in Thomas
Here are some nuggets from that legislation:
Look it up in Thomas
Here are some nuggets from that legislation:
(a) Findings- Congress makes the following findings:
(3) However, detection devices employing advanced imaging technology (formerly known as whole-body imaging), and other technologies currently available, such as trace detection equipment, can be used to identify or detect on-body plastic explosives and other nonmetallic explosives, including pentaerythritol tetranitrate, as well as other materials that can be used as weapons.
(4) Despite these capabilities, advanced imaging technology has not been fully deployed in the United States or abroad. Through 2009, the Department of Homeland Security used 40 advanced imaging technology units in 19 airports in the United States. Only 6 of those airports used advanced imaging for primary screening, and only then in a limited role at the airport.
(3) However, detection devices employing advanced imaging technology (formerly known as whole-body imaging), and other technologies currently available, such as trace detection equipment, can be used to identify or detect on-body plastic explosives and other nonmetallic explosives, including pentaerythritol tetranitrate, as well as other materials that can be used as weapons.
(4) Despite these capabilities, advanced imaging technology has not been fully deployed in the United States or abroad. Through 2009, the Department of Homeland Security used 40 advanced imaging technology units in 19 airports in the United States. Only 6 of those airports used advanced imaging for primary screening, and only then in a limited role at the airport.
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that advanced imaging technology and other advanced technology with the capability to detect weapons, on-body plastic explosives, and other nonmetallic explosives, are deployed, individually or in combination with each other, in a timely and effective manner for the primary screening of aircraft passengers in accordance with this subsection.
Nov 30, 2010 | 1:12 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: MSP
Programs: DL-PM, Small Luxury Hotels & Proud Member of TSA Disparager-Gold
Posts: 774
Good luck. Don't know what her opinion is on the grope, but be aware that she did co-sponsor S.3536 -- SAFER AIR Act of 2010
Look it up in Thomas
Here are some nuggets from that legislation:
Look it up in Thomas
Here are some nuggets from that legislation:
Nov 30, 2010 | 3:01 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: S24
Posts: 106
However, your STATE legislator most likely will read your letter (or at least a senior staff member). While states have little to do with the TSA, this is a good route to have your voice heard. HOWEVER -- the most influential people you can contact are: Airport Board Members, Members of the City Council where the airport is located, local Chambers and business associations, etc.
Dec 2, 2010 | 3:46 am
#13
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Lufthansa Miles & More, Flying Blue, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 1,894
With only a few hours to go before the hearing, they FINALLY get around to publishing a witness list:
What a surprise -- not a single traveller or TSA critic, just the usual crowd of DHS/TSA apologists. And of course by not publishing the witness list before it is too late to complain about it, they maintain the facade of democracy.
Again, I do hope all of you that are constituents of the members of this committee call and complain loudly.
Witness Panel 1
The Honorable David Heyman
Assistant Secretary for Policy
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ms. Vicki Reeder
TSA Office of Global Strategies – International Operations
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mr. Stephen M. Lord
Director Homeland Security and Justice Issues
Government Accountability Office
Witness Panel 2
Mr. Greg Principato
President
Airports Council International - North America
The Honorable David Heyman
Assistant Secretary for Policy
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ms. Vicki Reeder
TSA Office of Global Strategies – International Operations
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mr. Stephen M. Lord
Director Homeland Security and Justice Issues
Government Accountability Office
Witness Panel 2
Mr. Greg Principato
President
Airports Council International - North America
Again, I do hope all of you that are constituents of the members of this committee call and complain loudly.
Dec 2, 2010 | 3:56 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: here and there
Programs: EB*G, UA ex1K
Posts: 573
With only a few hours to go before the hearing, they FINALLY get around to publishing a witness list:
What a surprise -- not a single traveller or TSA critic, just the usual crowd of DHS/TSA apologists. And of course by not publishing the witness list before it is too late to complain about it, they maintain the facade of democracy.
Again, I do hope all of you that are constituents of the members of this committee call and complain loudly.
What a surprise -- not a single traveller or TSA critic, just the usual crowd of DHS/TSA apologists. And of course by not publishing the witness list before it is too late to complain about it, they maintain the facade of democracy.
Again, I do hope all of you that are constituents of the members of this committee call and complain loudly.
To be fair, this hearing is supposed to address "International Aviation Screening Standards", so it's not clear that TSA is an issue here (except wrt to Canada).
That someone from GAO is testifying is generally a good sign, even if they tend to be ignored when convenient.
In any case, contact info for committee members is posted earlier in this thread.
Dec 2, 2010 | 3:57 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Denton County, TX
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 737
Why on earth would a sub-committee hearing consist only of individuals with one viewpoint? Isn't the whole point of these hearings to get all sides of the arguments heard? Is there something I am missing?