DFW Airport to Pay Larger Share of Baggage-Screening Cost

Congress has decreed that Dallas/Fort Worth Airport must pay a larger share for its new $135 million baggage-screening system -- at least for now.

Under law, D/FW and seven other large U.S. airports anticipated that the federal government would pay 90 percent of the cost for baggage-screening systems needed to improve airport security. North Texas lawmakers campaigned vigorously for funding that share.

Despite influential support, including Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Congress' appropriation for the Homeland Security Department included money for only 75 percent of the cost.

The Transportation Security Administration has supported the lower federal share, based on President Bush's proposed budget.

The gap means that an additional $17 million to $21 million must be paid by D/FW. The system is in the final construction phase.

"We're disappointed that Congress has revised the allocation," D/FW Chief Operating Officer Kevin Cox said. "They did it under the guise of budget constraints, and we appreciate budget issues. At the same time, there's nothing that more directly impacts security."

North Texas lawmakers say the baggage-screening funding may now become an annual appropriations clash.

"I led the effort in Congress to fully fund the new agreement, but TSA believes they cannot fulfill it at this time," Hutchison said.

"I was able to preserve the [90 percent/10 percent] authorization, so if TSA has the money next year, D/FW can get a better share."

The extra money for the D/FW baggage system will come from bonds, officials said.