1. Define the following words as used in the article:
watchdog

• covert
• auditors
• oversight
• prohibited
• preliminary

2. What is the purpose/mission of each of the following mentioned in the article?

1. House Oversight Committee
2. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
3. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General
4. Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

3. How did Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-Mass) describe the classified information he reviewed on undercover tests of TSA screeners?

4. a) What did the GAO’s investigation find?
b) What did DHS inspector general John Roth say his office found?

5. What changes did the new TSA administrator say would immediately take place?

6. Why did the House Oversight Committee initiate the hearing on the TSA?

7. Why did the security failures occur, according to DHS inspector general Roth?

8. In what three areas did the TSA fail according to Jennifer Grover at the GAO?

9. What solution did Congressman John Mica (R-Fl) propose?

10. Watch the news report under “Resources.” Do you agree with the suggestion by CATO? Explain your answer.

QUESTION FOR DISCUSSION:
a) When the preliminary results of the investigation were leaked in June, the head of the TSA was reassigned. Should he have been fired?
b) The reporter concludes, “Members of Congress were generally willing to let [the new TSA head] have some time to improve the beleaguered agency, but warned he will be closely monitored.” The reporter notes that the federal auditors acknowledged some improvement under Neffenger. Congress is willing to give him more time. Are you willing to give him more time?
c) One of the major changes Neffenger is making is: measuring TSA agents' performance by the number of banned items detected rather than passenger wait-times. Do you think this will increase wait times for passengers going through security?