Security Weakness Concerns at Houston's Hobby Airport

HOUSTON -- Security breaches at Houston's Hobby Airport show a need for increased government spending to ensure American travelers remain safe, two Texas congressmen said Friday.

"To find gaps in security places use at risk," U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson said. "We cannot have business as usual. There is indeed too much at stake for us and the flying public."

Lampson and fellow East Texas Democrat Jim Turner raised concerns after a Department of Homeland Security report of an investigation requested by Turner showed weaknesses in security at Hobby Airport, one of the city's two major airports.

The report, by the department's Inspector General's Office, was classified, both lawmakers said, but supported allegations by Hobby security employees that unscreened baggage was allowed on planes in violation of federal rules.

"The issue concerns all of us across the country," Turner said. "We want to be assured that passengers and baggage are screened, and it's very critical that we continue to move forward to accomplish that in a way that is competent and is thorough.

"We've spent literally billions of dollars since Sept. 11 to make aviation secure and yet this investigative report reveals aviation is not yet secure."

On Thursday, two top security officials at Hobby Airport resigned, security director Jerry Wyatt and his assistant, Juan Landa, according to Andrea McCauley, a spokeswoman for the TSA in Dallas-Fort Worth. Both resignations cited personal reasons and had nothing to do with the investigations, she said.

Turner disputed the characterization.

"It's no coincidence," he said.

Lampson said the gaps in security placed everyone at risk.

"We cannot have business at usual," he said. "There is indeed too much at stake for us and the flying public. We want to guarantee citizens ... they're going to be safe and secure."

Turner cited earlier disclosure of problems detecting weapons at the airport in Newark, N.J., as an indication security breaches were not exclusive to the Houston airport.

"It shows you we have a long way to go," he said. "I think the problem at Hobby is illustrative of the broader problem. And I think what it shows us is we've yet to make the kind of changes in investment that we need to make."

Lampson said Congress has been told that homeland security in general needs $95 billion but only 15 percent of that has been appropriated.

"We need to step up to the plate as a Congress, as a government of our country, to make sure we sacrifice what's necessary to spend the dollars and put them in the right places to make sure these kinds of things don't happen."