Nov 13, 2007 6:15 pm US/Central
O'Hare Security Summit Held After 2 Investigation
U.S. Reps. Kirk And Bean Look Into Security Holes First Exposed In Year-Long CBS 2 Investigation
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
There could be major changes in airport security coming. A congressional summit was held in Chicago Tuesday focusing in part on what the 2 Investigators exposed earlier this year in their series, "Fly At Your Own Risk."
"I am particularly concerned about undocumented individuals with direct access to the aircraft," said 10th District U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk.
As CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini reports, criminals and identity thieves are getting hold of badges, which can be used to bypass airport security and smuggle weapons onto the tarmac, into airplanes or into terminals.
The 2 Investigators exposed there are at least 3,807 of these badges missing.
"The greatest concern we do have is access to the tarmac," said 8th District U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean.
Bean and Kirk held an O'Hare Security Summit Tuesday, which included findings from a year-long CBS 2 Investigation.
Kirk called for the badging program to be taken over by the federal government. Chicago's Department of Aviation has been in charge of that up to now, but are regulated by the Transportation Safety Administration.
"We are specifically going back and looking very hard at the entire badging operation at O'Hare," said Ken Fletcher of the TSA.
Bean also questioned the TSA about something else the 2 Investigators exposed -- cars and employees not being checked at O'Hare's back gate.
"What's the best practice when it comes to who is coming in now?" Bean asked Fletcher.
"It's still a matter of investigation," Fletcher responded.
The TSA couldn't answer that question because they say an investigation is underway into the way the employee entrance is monitored. Only random checks are being done on vehicles entering there.
Kirk plans to introduce legislation Wednesday in Washington that would give the power of policing and monitoring access badges to the federal government. Right now no one is checking Social Security numbers of workers who have them.
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