A new report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general concludes that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) "is not properly managing the maintenance of its airport screening equipment" and therefore cannot be certain that the machines are "ready for operational use." Nevertheless, the TSA has still managed to spend $1.2 billion on maintenance contracts that it now admits maybe didn't actually fix stuff.
As J.D. Tucille points out at Reason, it's remarkable we found out about this expensive incompetence at all: "The TSA has a history of sitting on negative reviews. It also buys expensive equipment and then forgets about it, so that maintenance never becomes an issue." And per a former TSA screener, the agency may have known from the get-go that the body scanners that are now in disrepair are not effective.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
