WASHINGTON - An urgent request by U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan that would add up to 800 additional transportation officers nationwide and help alleviate long security lines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International received swift approval by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, a release from Nolan's office said Thursday.
Nolan, who is the only member of the Minnesota Congressional delegation serving on the House Transportation Committee, urged the subcommittee's leadership to shift $34 million from the Department of Homeland Security's Fiscal Year 2017 budget to the Transportation Security Administration to help mitigate travel delays in airport security lines across the United States, the release said.
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security approved a similar measure on May 5, paving the way for eventual approval by both houses of Congress.
"Airline passengers should not have to wait in outrageously long security lines and miss their flights because the TSA lacks adequate personnel," Nolan said in the release. "This simple shift in funds from the Department of Homeland Security will allow TSA to hire and train an additional 800 security officers, provide additional funding for overtime for current officers and hold TSA accountable for putting an end to these frustrating and costly delays."
Nolan pointed out that passengers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have regularly been stuck in hour-long security lines, a situation airport officials attribute to a 9 percent reduction in TSA staff since last year along with a 4 percent boost in the number of passengers using the airport. Nolan added that if Congress approves the $34 million shift to TSA, MSP would be expected to see a significant increase in the number of agents staffing security lines.
