ABSTRACT
The passenger and baggage screening functions of the TSA account for about two-thirds of all federal spending on aviation security. At present, about three-quarters of this amount goes toward the salaries, benefi ts, and training of screening personnel, while the remaining one-quarter is devoted to the acquisition, installation, and upkeep of screening equipment. New initiatives to expand the role of TSA personnel beyond traditional physical screening of passengers and their belongings, as well as initiatives to improve screening effi ciency and effectiveness through the deployment of new technologies, will likely require considerable investment and resources. However, policymakers and aviation security planners are still working on a comprehensive plan for evolving airline passenger and baggage screening functions to incorporate new technologies, capabilities, and procedures to more effectively and effi ciently detect explosives, weapons, and other threat objects as well as individuals who may pose a threat to aviation security.
