now san francisco international is one of 16 airports in the nation allowed to opt out of using tsa screenersothers have tried to get the same allowance to no avail. it gives more power to airports looking to switch to private security screeners. >> from the airport's perspective there's a lot of customer service, flexibility in scheduling. we also have eight checkpoints in four different buildings. >> reporter: a spokesperson for sfo says it works for them when it comes to meeting their demands. part time work hes can be brought in during peak times. >> they go through the same training, back roupd checks. the screeners wear the same uniforms, most people don't even know we don't have tsa screeners. >> the tsa manages the contract with the private security firm. travelers receive the same level of screening they would with federal workers. some house leaders disagree, claiming the private sector performs better. they accuse tsa attempting to shut down of what they call a cost effective and more efficient screening model for airports. in a statement, they wrote it just approved a private scre

thhevvry plert tsa screener pulled the screening.a dangerrus device inside the backpack the philadelphia police airport police were notified along with the philadelphia police bomb disposal techniciaas that are assigned here at philadelphia inteenational airport. airportt an... airport ssokesman ...// says.../ the... checkpoint....was briefly ccosed,.../ áá butáá no flights... were delayed..../ áápick-loáá said...// gorgot...// that... m--80's...// are pllegal...// in a post-9--11... world...// everyyhing's... bigger in texas,.../ ááincludingáá the bbes...//. áááusáá pa-wara,.../ a... vegetableefarmer ...says.../ his dogs... weren't keepiig.../ peoplee.. off... his farm, .../ swwtch....// ááhe'sáá bringing in... dozens of hives... to buildd.. an... army of guard bees..../ ááunfortunately áá gus... didn't think... his... guard beeesconcept.../ all the way.../ thru...// ááheáá was... recently stung....57 times.../ while... 33 p a soldier in afghanistan watched his wwfe give birth in the middle of a warzone. 3 being... stationed... in a

most people don't even know we don't have tsa screeners. >> reporter: but sfo seems to be one of the lucky ones. house leaders say tsa has been thwarted the efforts of airports to opt out. an act signed into law in february is meant to help. it protects and strengthens the rights of airports to use the program. representative john micah says using private security is cost effective and more efficient. in a statement he says quote, tsa is a bloated bureaucracy of more than 65,000 federal workers with a track record of blunders and failures. unquote. tsa declined our request for an interview but in a statement wrote quote, tsa a counterterrorism agency that provides the most effective security in the most efficient manner possible. it's currently developing procedures to implement the provisions for the opt out program under the new law. we contacted the oakland and san jose airports. san jose got back to us. a spokesperson there says they have no plans to opt out. she says they don't see a great benefit to it. kimberly tere, nbc bay area news. >> thank you. >>> thousands of california

>> the tsa screener is, i've spoken to many who are scared of the machines. e are others who are comfortable. the tsa and the steady that condition themselves show it to be a small amount, do not consider them radiation workers. there are lots of tsa screeners the people in the public to say, why not let them wear radiation badges so we can find out for sure? >> before 2001, people have to wear them. do not pilots and stewardesses it to opt out? .hat tells us something critic >> the tsa has refused to let them. >> i think the tsa is going to make them available to the tsa officials to work with the devices. we and watching this pretty closely. a few months ago, there was an indication the tsa was launching a pilot program to make funds available. they would maintain there is no health risk, but there's been quite a lot of concern expressed. i think they're beginning to of knowledge to people should have the right to least know the level of exposure they may be subject to. >> i'm looking at a 2010 piece about janet napolitano current department homeland securit

it's every bit as effective as tsa screeners. the administration's been an active obstacle to expanding that program, to giving people the options. if we are going to go to a process where the federal government is going to do everything to protect us, what's going to happen is we are going to wind up being less safe. we are going to wind up being less free, and it's going to wind up costing us a lot more money. we, as a nation, the people that live here, have a part to play in protecting ourselves. it's finding that balance and preserves our freedom. it allows the common defense that that's important. i think there are two really key factors here. i call them right and responsibility. there's goodness in having the people that are responsible for themselves take ownership of that responsibility. katrina, for example, the most effective responders in katrina were the victims. there are people in that own community that cared about their community who did more and were more effective organizing a response than anybody else. it's p

. >>> last fall a tsa screener at bwi was arrested for having child pornography.last week, the charges against michael wilson were dropd and the feds moved ahead with their own case. wilson is from perry hall and has been indicted on two federal counts of possession of child pornography. court documents says he had a video showing a 9-year-old girl engaged in sex acts and picture of a naked teenage girl. the case comes with restrictions. court documents show wilson can't have any unsupervised contact with minors and can't use a computer or any internet device without approval and he can't travel outside the u.s. wilson's attorney says he is no longer working with the tsa. >>> we may be enjoying someunseasonable warm weather but not everyone is lucky. find out where mother nature is reminding people winter is sticking around longer. plus, he's considered the dean of the senate -- she's considered the dean of the senate of women. latest honor senator mikulski is given. >>> i will tell you how long the fog will last and if we will get wet this a noon coming up. >> re

tsa screeners looked in his bags. >> he was in possession of four semi-automatic handguns, one he wastween two bags. >> they don't believe he meant to harm anyone but they found eight more guns in his car. his mother says he was not thinking clearly lately. >> president obama is pushing funding for transportation projects such as the doyle drive project. he stresses that 90% of the jobs created are for middle-class workers. senate already passed the bill with support from both sides of the aisle but they fear the jobs will stop if the house doesn't follow suit. >> fund will go stop for all sorts of transportation projects construction sites will go idle and workers will have to go home. our economy will take a hit. this congress can't let it happen. we should be doing everything in our power, democrats and republicans to keep this recovery moving forward. >> terry: house republicans are divided over the five-year, $260 billion spending package. >> he island yee wants employers to stop asking workers job applicant for their passwords to social media site. he introduced legislation to p

tsa screeners say they found three more semiautomatic guns in waller's carry-on bags. an waller was arrested investigators found eight more guns in his car. no word on what the motive may have been. >>> six children and two adults are dead after a fire swept through a house in charleston, west virginia. investigators are looking for a cause but say it does not look suspicious. one adult managed to escape, a seventh child son life support. >>> public outrage over the trayvon martin shooting is growing. protesters are railing across the country demanding justice for the death of the unarmed florida teen. the reverend al sharpton attended this demonstration today in new york. another protest is starting right now in washington. cnn's holly firfer is live in sanford, florida, where george zimmerman shot martin in self-defense he says. jeb bush is commenting on the case. what has been the reaction? >> reporter: yeah, fredricka. he's been consulting on the case because in 2005 when he was governor he wrote that, stand your ground bill into the law. that's the law that says b

he was arrested on the airport thursday when tsa screeners looked in his bags. >> he was in possessionthe terminal of four semi-automatic handguns. one he was carrying and three split between two bags. >> authorities don't believe he meant to harm anyone, but they did find eight more guns in his car. waller's mother said her son has not been thinking clearly lately and she said the divorced father of two was in sacramento to pick up new medication for depression. >>> bald eagles have returned to the peninsula and it's been a long time coming. there is a nest at the end of the reservoir. bald eagles populations are again flourishing and no longer need protection under the federal endangered species act. but state protections are still in place. the last confirmed sighting before this recent one, 1915. >> that's a beautiful picture of america's bird really. >> we are looking at a lot of wet pavement. the morning hours it is going to get going. not wet everywhere. ,wily, it doesn't look like they are looking at any rain. we have it in the north bay and it will spread to the east bay and s

after driving from montana he was arrested on the airport thursday when tsa screeners looked in his bagsndguns. one he was carrying and three split between two bags. >> authorities don't believe he meant to harm anyone but they did find 8 more guns in his car. waller's mother said her son has not been thinking clearly lately and she said the divorced father of two was in sack minnesota toe to pick up new medication for depression. >>> the man arrested in the beating death of brian stow wants an apology. mr. ramirez was taken into custody in an early morning raid last may, accused of beating stow on opening day. police rather arrested two other men and cleared ramirez. he spent months in jail for a parole violation and now that he's out he is speaking out. he said he holds nothing against stow or his family but thinks lapd o's him an apology. >> my heart goes out to his family and everything that happened. even if they thought it was me at one point, i holding in nothing against them. >> stow suffered a traumatic brain injury in the assault. his attackers are awaiting trial. >>> bald eagl

this shows the tsa screener looking in his cast. >>> well, another italian cruise ship accident. the coast of vietnam. passengers on board the silver shadow, say the cruise ship broadsided a container ship in the bay -- in the way. according to witnesses fog was very high at the time. there's no worsts of any injuries, though. the cruise ship, we're told, continued on to its destination. >>> mitt romney has a double- digit lead over rick santorum heading into today's primary. but saner to -- santorum predicts another upset. >> i don't think you're gonna replace an economic light weight with another economic light weight. my career was spent in the question. i didn't learn about the economy just reading did it or hearing about it in in the faculty lounge at haufer beror -- harbor or debating it in congress. >> we've seen in the last conviction -- lightnings that money doesn't by it out. it is -- election that money doesn't bring it out. >>> mitt romney and rick santorum are getting secret service protection the. gq says mitt romney's's name is name -- mitt romney's name is javelin

since that time, tsa has grown from 16,000 screeners and a smam amount of different transportation security activities which we join. which is a smaller beginning. and unfortunately tmp sa has mushroomed to 65,000 of which there are 14,000 administrative personnel. 10,000 out in the field. we never intended to mushroom to this sis. we might be able to endure that kind of expenditure, but instead as the committee reported today reviews, we have a number of programs that are so far behind the transportation worker identification card, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. we cannot talk about all of it here. we had no administrative or almost a year. it is difficult enough of an agency like tsa. i have other concerns having monitored this as closely as anyone in congress. we are still at risk. i have had my staff follow that. they have sat and they sat and we were paying rent on them. and then the nerve to cause us to delay and i may ask if we can't get the information subpoenaed. so folks can come up and haul the stuff allay. as we were -- as our investigators were appear ong the scene. to

they say thanks to an alert tsa screener, the banned items never made it onboard an aircraft and passengersin any danger. jon: pretty hard to forget about a bunch of m-80s and stuff like that in your carry-on, but i guess some people do. david lee, thank you. jenna: i have some numbers for you now. the odds of getting a hole in one in golf, 1 in 5,000. your odds of finding a pearl in an oyster, 1 in 12,000. what are your odds of winning the half billion dollar megamillions jackpot? it's a bit steeper than that hole in one. adam shapiro is going to let us your chances coming up next. >>> plus, a church is taking on the law in california after police slapped the cuffs on a pastor for reading the bible in public. our legal panel takes a look at this unusual case. >> you can preach on, you can stand here and talk about anything you want, but you can't talk about the bible. [♪...] >> i wish my patients could see what i see. that over time, having high cholesterol, plus diabetes or high blood pressure or family history of early heart disease, can put them at increased risk for plaque buildup. and

it is every bit as effective as the tsa screeners. the administration has put obstacles in a way of expanding that program. if we are going to build a process where the federal government is going to do everything to protect us, what is going to happen is we are going to wind up being less safe and less free and it will one the costing us a lot more money. we as a nation, the people that live here, have a part to play in protecting ourselves. it is in finding that balance that advances our freedoms, preserves how we keep our economy free and open, and allows for the common defense. that is important. i think there are two really key factors here. i call them rights and responsibilities. there's good nest in having the people that are responsible for themselves take ownership of that responsibility. hurricane katrina, for example, the most effective responders in katrina were the victims. there were people in that community that cared about their community who did more and were more effective in organizing response than anyone else out

the tsa saw it in the screeners area and called police. the checkpoint was temporarily shut down. all the other passengers were rerouted to a different terminal. mr. picklo had a couple of commercial grade fireworks in his backpack. police say he claims to have an explanation as to why he has these items. >> he says he has an interest in these items professionally and that he experiments with items and that he had forgotten they were in his luggage. >> reporter: police want to make it clear the security system here worked well. they say mr. picklo never got anywhere near an aircraft. the flight to san francisco that he was set to board, his luggage had been removed before the flight took off pretty much on time. he's been charged with possession of a destructive device. more charges are likely to come soon. >>> this morning, an oakland man is dead, another is hurt in two separate shootings in east oakland. a woman at the scene told us the victim is her son and gave us this photo of him. the shooting happened about 12:30 this morning on 26th avenue near 20th street. the oakland tri

it is every bit as effective as the tsa screeners. the administration has put obstacles in a way of expanding that program. if we are going to build a process where the federal government is going to do everything to protect us, what is going to happen is we are going to wind upo being less safe and less free and it will one the costing us a lot more money. we as a nation, the people that live here, have a part to play in protecting ourselves. it is in finding that balance that advances our freedoms, preserves how we keep our economy free and open, and allows for the common defense. that is important. i think there are two really key factors here. i call them rights and responsibilities. there's good nest in having the people that are responsible for themselves take ownership of that responsibility. hurricane katrina, for example, the most effective responders in katrina were the victims. there were people in that community that cared about their community who did more and were more effective in organizing response than anyone else ou

. >> most people think of the tsa as an airline passenger screener. can you tell us more about the teams?ine viper >> terrorist are deterred by armed law enforcement, k nine teams, -- k-9 teams. we know from the london attacks that if they are suicide bombers, we saw some of the honors in london look up and see the t.v. it is basically a testimonial to that person's suicide mission. but for those who want to do something in terms of leaving a bomb or trying to get off, our t.v. can be affective. officers and k-9 teams are effective. perez can be tried to do surveillance on a station or airport -- terrorists can try to do surveillance on a station or an airport. say next tuesday, they try. they try again on another tuesday. since the next tuesday they try, there is a 13viper -- viper team. it is always involving bell local police authority. it is a deterrent for potential terrorist. >> what is being done by the tsa in how to manage the no-fly list? how can they better catch potential terrorists without violating liberties? >> if you are on the no-fly l

tas screeners say -- it isa screeners -- tsa officials say they found it. it included commercial grade a m-80ed. airport officials say no one was ever in danger. the suspect claims he forgot they were in his bag. he is facing criminal charges. we will be right back. >>> next at 5:30, protests and heated exchanges over the proposed scoot cuts in oak -- school cuts in oakland. dramatic scenes caught on tape. >>> do you have your ticket yet. we look at the insanity surround surrounding the huge mega million jackpots. >>> and the shake up at one of the biggest electronic stores. the changes coming to best buy ahead. >>> the fight to save five elementary schools in the oakland unified school district is not over. this is video from last night. school board meeting where several protestors were arrest arrested. you can see dozens of people before the meeting. >> reporter: it was a much small smaller crowd at thursday's school board meeting. but many say they are going to physically stand in the way so that lakeview, santa fe, thurgood marshall and others stay ope

tsa agent found with porn. >> michael scott wilson was a screener when he was arrested for having child porn. the charges were left as the feds moved ahead with their own case. wilson has been indicted on two federal counts of possession of child porn. he was arrested last september by baltimore county police after they found he had dozens of images of child porn. he admitted to down loading the porn but those charges have been dropped because in february he was indicted in united states district court. he had a video showing a 9-year- old engaged in sex. that case comes with restrictions, he can't have unsupervisorred contact with children, can't usa a computer or any internet capable device without approval and cannot travel outside the united states. as for his job at the tsa his attorney said he is not back with the agency. abc 2new . >> the man who faces 26 years for killing yardly love wants a retrial. his lawyers went before a judge on friday asking all the trial's evidence be made public. the judge gave them two weeks to get the proposal onto best way to make it available and then tha

tsa says easing the rules for older and younger travelers allows screeners to focus more attention on those who would pose more of a potential risk. the annual grueling frozen, nearly 1,000-mile race from anchorage to nome, alaska, the iditarod is over. this year's winner is a 25-year-old alaskan native, youngest winner ever. he's following a family tradition. his dad won in '04, his grandfather competed in the first one and both were back in the race this year. let's not forget to give credit to those very good, indefatigable dogs. >>> up next tonight, making a difference. >>> next at 6:00, silicon veil will taking on chi narks plus we're tracking the storm that's jeking down ff jeff r ranieri has the latest o where it will hit next. where since 2004 volunteers gathered to welcome home soldiers. today marks the last of those incoming flights into dallas and the end of the line for volunteers, some of whom have never missed a single week and never asked for anything in return. they just wanted to make a difference. we get their story tonight from nbc's janet shamlian. >> reporter: pat

. >>> video of a disabled child getting patted down by a security screener. a tsa agent. it's gone viral fueling more criticism about how far tsa agents should go. you'll hear from the child's father who shot and posted this video. that's coming up. >>> it looks like peyton is coming and tebow is going. denver decides on their quarterback of the future. where could their current qb land? we'll talk about tebow coming up. >>> there is one immigration issue that seems to have support from both sides of the aisle. it all has to do with luck of the irish. we'll tell you why just ahead. ♪ ( whirring and crackling sounds ) man: assembly lines that fix themselves. the most innovative companies are doing things they never could before, by building on the cisco intelligent network. do about medicare and social security... security. that's what matters to me... me? i've been paying in all these years... years washington's been talking at us, but they never really listen... listen...it's not just some line item on a budget; it's what i'll have to live on... i live on branson street,

. >> reporter: tsa official⌝q say 29-year-old man of dallas, pennsylvania was stopped when screenersoticed something in his carry-on. >> one passenger says she had a strange feeling about this flight. >> i was a little nervous getting on my stepdaughter said do you and daddy have to get on together because if something happens you will both be gone. it gives me pause. out of the mouth of babes. >> it was like a cold chill the hair on your neck stands up, i said to the person wow, we didn't know. >> the system worked. they identified the items. pulled the gentleman aside and we got on the plane safely. >> reporter: the suspect is described as someone who likes to conduct experiments with explosives. the first check shows no known connections with terrorism. his excuse for having the explosives with him in that carry-on bag, he forgot. terry mcsweeney, abc7 news. >>> we are getting lots of interesting reactions on facebook to the story. you can join the conversation at facebook.com/abc7news. >>> the suspect in a mass murder in san francisco is due in court today a judge has to determin

. >> reporter: tsa offici⌝q say 29-year-old man of dallas, pennsylvania was stopped when screeners noticedomething in his cay-on.. >> one passenger s says she had a ststnge feeling about this flight. >> i was a litittle nervous getting on my sepdaughter said do you and daddydy have to get on t together because if something haens yoyou will bothe gone. it gives me pause. out of e mouth ofof babes. >> it wa like a cold chilill the hairur neck stands up, said to the person wow, we didn't know. >> the system workeked. thidentified the items. pulled the gentlemanside a and we got on the plane safefely. >> reporteter: the suspect is described as someone who likes to conductperimements with explosives. the first cheheck shows no knonn connections with terrorism. his excuse for hahaving the plosivives with him in that carr bag, he forgot. terrrry mcsweeney, abc7 news. >>> we are gng lots of interestining reactions on facebook to the story. you can join the conversatation at facacebook.com/abc7news. the sususpect in a mass murder in san francisco is due in court tododay a judge has to determine whe

the tsa has had to learn that lesson again. most recently in hawaii, when a screenerad to prove that a breast pump was real by using it. they're not supposed to do it. and when celebrities take on breast-feeding as a personal issue, it gets some attention. "nightline" profiled selma hayek in sierra leone, a country where the culture discourages breast-feeding. and it leads to malnutrition. this video of when hayek breast fed a little boy went viral. stars don't often breast-feed perfect strangers. perhaps beyonce was trying to make amention. when she gave birth to blue ivy, she and jay-z rented an entire wing of lenox hill hospital. a breast-feeding group threatened to sue. now, beyonce has joined the breast-feeding brigade. asserting her right to breast-feed, even wh with paparazzi in hot pursuit. i'm david wright for "nightline," in los angeles. >> go, beyonce. tonight, a recap of our top story. that line of the deadly storms ac

tsa says easing the rules for older and younger travelers allows screeners to focus more attention on who would pose more of a potential risk. the annual grueling frozen, nearly 1,000-mile race from anchorage to nome, alaska, the iditarod is over. this year's winner is a 25-year-old alaskan native, youngest winner ever. he's following a family tradition. his dad won in '04, his grandfather competed in the first one and both were back in the race this year. let's not forget to give credit to those very good, indefatigable dogs. >>> up next tonight, making a difference. need any help? uh, nope. just, uh, checking out my ad. nice. but, you know, with every door direct mail from the postal service, you'll find the customers that matter most: the ones in your neighborhood. print it yourself, or we'll help you find a local partner. and postage is under 15 cents. i wish i would have known that cause i really don't think i chose the best location. it's not so bad. i mean you got a deal... right? [ bird cries ] go online to reach every home, every address, every time with every door direct mai

meanwhile, florida airport is trying to opt out of tsa screenings in favor of private screeners like 16 other u.s. airports. the orlando sanford international airport is trying to get approval to join the tsa's screening program which allows airport to hire companies to enforce the security protocol set and overseen by the tsa. >>> hbo series of horse racing has run out of luck. the cable tv network has canc canceled the show called "luck" after a third horse died during filming. the show stars dustin hoffman and nick nolte. hbo will air the last two episodes of the season and won't return for a second run. the taliban says, forget it. the group's fallout after appear american soldier massacring afghanistan civilians. >>> but first, one of the world's best archers, it's how he ames for perfection that's so extraordinary. jeff uses his teeth. he developed the technique after losing an arm and a leg in a motorcycle accident. now he's a five-time special games champ, three times paralympic meldzist and he's going for the games at this year's supper olympics. but what's more, jeff coaches

tried to bring them through the airport and that he told the screeners he forgot the bottle was in the back with the fireworks. >> i think tsa did its job. i think the extra security was great. sew actually i felt very com-- so actually, i felt very comfortable. >> it is a violation to try to bring that item through the checkpoint, whether it is intentionlal or -- intensional or accidental -- intentional or accidental. >>> right now, volunteers in morgan hill are taking part in the search for a missing teen, sierra lamar. today marks 13 days since her appearance. the sheriff's office is if he cussing on areas -- office is focusing on areas near her home. the k-9 dogs plan to scour the lake for many volunteers who want to find the girl. this case hits home for some. >> this case just tricks you -- strikes you in the heart. you need to help in some way. >> investigators say sierra was likely abducted by someone from or familiar with the morgan hill area. another vigil is scheduled for the missing teen tonight. >>> san francisco police are investigating a serious accident that accident a bicyclist and a pedestrian to the hospit

tsa the boot. we'll tell you about efforts at a major airport to get rid of federal screeners. >>> people are taking to the streets of rockville this evening to support a montgomery county college student who has been threatened with deportation. he's now 19 and jorge acuna has been in the country since he was 8 and his plight has attracted a lot of attention. >> reporter: i'm scott broom in rockville where a young college student facing deportation received a hero's welcome this afternoon after being released from detention. 19-year-old jorge steven acuna and his family just released from a maximum security holding facility on maryland's eastern shore pending deportation proceedings late yesterday. >> fighting for justice! >> reporter: and they've come home to a hero's welcome. friends from montgomery college where acuna is carrying a 3.5 gpa hastily started an online campaign last week to get him and his family freed. >> you're brought here to this country by your parents and all you're willing to do here is get an education, have a dream, set some goals up. >> reporter: but not everyone here is a

. >> most people think of tsa as an air passenger screener. can you tell more about the fiber teams and their recent successes? >> again, the whole idea of the viper teams is based on the premise terrorists are deterred by two or three primary things. one is the armed law enforcement, to come a canine teams and closer to television. we know from the london attacks on july 7th of 05 and the attempted attacks two weeks later on july 21st that if there are suicide bombers than the cctv is not affected because we saw some of the commerce in london before they went in to london to actually look up at the cctv as if to say in ten minutes i'm going to be dead and sending people along with me and so it's basically testimonial to that person's suicide mission but for those that want to do something in terms of leaving a bomb or something like that, we know the cctv can be effective but armed officers and canines are good deterrence and so the whole purpose of the fiber team and the intermodal response teams are to try to throw off the terrorists who ma

the tsa has proposed changes will help screeners manage risks. >> we're trying to move from a one-sizety and look at more of a risk-based security program. >> the trial program will be conducted at airports in chicago, orlando, denver and portland, oregon. >>> and good morning to you. i am carol costello. this is what we're watching now. disgraced former governor rod blagojevich is on his way to jail. he left his home this morning and basked in the love fort last time. >> saying good-bye is the hardest thing i've ever had to do. it's going to be hard. clear conscious. but i have high, high hopes for the future. >> blago will spend the next 14 years in a colorado prison. >>> a day of big developments in afghanistan as that country's president meets with the u.s. secretary of defense as angry afghans protest. we learned the u.s. soldier accused of slaughtering 16 civilians has been moved out of the country. and there's another headline. we'll have that for you in just a minute. >>> extraordinary youtube video out of syria. a man quoting from the koran as what appears to be a government t

transportation security administration said airport screeners found more than 1300 guns in carry on bags last year. speaks at the national press club in washington, tsa administrator said despite complaints, most airport security officers work in the most professional way. >>> good afternoon and welcome to the national press club. my name is teresa warner and i'm the 105th president of the national press club. we are the leading professional organization to journalists committed to the future with programming with events such as this while fostering a free press worldwide. for more information, please visit our website at www.press.org. to donate to the programs offered to the public through our national press club institute, please visit be www.press.org/institute. on behalf of the members worldwide, i would like to welcome our speaker and those of you attending the events. our head table is guests of our speaker and working journalists who are club members. if you hear applause, we would like to note that members are attending and it's not necessarily evidence of a lack of journalistic objectivity. i would like to welcome our c-span and believe rad

since that time, tsa has grown from 16,500 screeners and a small cadre of different transportation security activities, which would join together. it was a much smaller beginning. unfortunately, tsa has mushroomed to 65,000 employees, of which there are 14,000 administrative personnel. 4000 in washington and 10,000 out and the fields. we never intended it to mushroom to this size. i have been critical of the administrative cost, we might be able to endure that kind of expenditure, which has now grown to $8 billion. if that meant we were secure. instead, as this committee reports today, we have a number of programs that are so far behind, i would like to talk about the transportation worker identification card. hundreds of millions of dollars in limbo. some of the equipment that has been purchased does not do the job. i know we cannot talk about all of it in this open setting. the deployment of an ax -- acquisition of expensive and equipment that is supposed to protect us the deployment could have better by a high-school class project. tsa has had five administrators in nine years. we had a

since that time, tsa has grown from 16,500 screeners and a small cadre of different transportation security activities, which would join together. it was a much smaller beginning. unfortunately, tsa has mushroomed to 65,000 employees, of which there are 14,000 administrative personnel. 4000 in washington and 10,000 out and the fields. we never intended it to mushroom to this size. i have been critical of the administrative cost, we might be able to endure that kind of expenditure, which has now grown to $8 billion. if that meant we were secure. instead, as this committee reports today, we have a number of programs that are so far behind, i would like to talk about the transportation worker identification card. hundreds of millions of dollars in limbo. some of the equipment that has been purchased does not do the job. i know we cannot talk about all of it in this open setting. the deployment of an ax -- acquisition of expensive and equipment that is supposed to protect us the deployment could have better by a high-school class project. tsa has had five administrators in nine years. we had a

. >> most people think of tsa as an airline passenger screener. you tell me more about the viper team? >> it is based on the premise that terrorists are deterred by two or three primary things. one is law enforcement, a k-9 teams, and cctv. we know from the london attack that if they are suicide bombers, the cctv is not effective. we saw some of the bombers in london before they went into the london tube looked up at the cctv as if to say, in 10 minutes, i will be dead. does it is a testimonial to that person suicide mission. for those who want to do something in terms of leaving a bomb or something like that, we know the cctv can be effective. armed officers and canines are good deterrence. the whole purpose of the viper team are to try to throw off the terrorists. in terms of law enforcement comment they say, ok, next tuesday, we will try it again. the third tuesday at 10:00, on that tuesday, there is 18. -- there is a team. it is always involving the local police authority. it is designed to be visible deterrent to any terrorist. >> what is bei