Congress to Probe TSA, Flight Schools
Lax rules at flight schools get a date with House committee.
March 4, 2008— -- The failure of the federal government to follow new laws restricting access of non-U.S. citizens to flight schools is part of a "failure on every level" by the Transportation Security Administration, the TSA, says Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
ABC News reported last week that thousands of non-U.S. citizens had attended flight schools and received FAA pilot licenses without going through new requirements specified in post-9/ll laws.
Oberstar has set hearings for next week on "other significant lapses," featuring FAA whistle-blower Bill McNease, who appeared in the ABC News report.
"We cannot let another 9/ll happen because we were lax in enforcing our own laws," Oberstar said.
Oberstar said McNease and other witnesses "will provide evidence of numerous, serious failures in FAA's regulatory oversight."