FOR RELEASE:  July 19, 2002

EVANS COMPLETES FIRST REVIEW OF HIRING PRACTICE IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION – STRIVES TO ASSURE VETERANS PLACE IN SECURITY SCREENER CORPS 

Washington, DC – Six months ago, Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL), Ranking Democratic Member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs asked the Department of Transportation (DOT) how it plans to implement the provisions of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 regarding the hiring of veterans for security screener positions.  That law anticipates significant numbers of new Federal hires for airport security screener positions and specifies that qualified veterans shall receive preference for those jobs.  Evans reports that the pilot program did not produce acceptable results for veterans, but he hopes recent changes in hiring protocols will produce more favorable results.  He vows to watch the performance of this program very closely. 

“The initial law was clear regarding hiring preferences for veterans and the leadership of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) verbally embraced those requirements,” Evans noted.  “However, the results for veterans in the pilot program did not show any discernable preference for our veterans – they were actually at a 5% disadvantage according to the data provided by TSA – this was unexpected and unacceptable!”   

TSA had established four categories for applicants in its pilot program under an “alternative” and “flexible” hiring system for security screeners that produced results indicating that veterans, who had passed all requirements for the position, were offered positions as a lower rate than non-veterans who had also passed all requirements.  TSA is now revamping its procedures – it must hire more than 50,000 screeners by November 19, 2002, to meet the mandates of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001.  Evans has directed his staff to closely scrutinize the hiring of veterans under the revamped procedures.  He is hopeful that there will be no more surprises in the data for veteran hires. 

“I have been closely monitoring the treatment of veterans and minorities under management flexibility initiatives and remain concerned,” stated Evans.  “One only needs to review the results demonstrated by this type initiative to see the problem areas.”  Evans was referring to data reported by the TSA pilot program, as well as to the failure of the Fed to achieve any of the small business procurement preference goals articulated in law.  “In every category of small business procurement preference goal, the Administration’s results fall short of government-wide goals,” Evans said regarding procurement goals.   

He also noted that according to the Federal Procurement Data Center website, http://www.fpdc.gov/fpdc/FPR2001a.pdf, the Executive Office of the President did not have a single contract with service-connected disabled veteran business concerns.  “They scored a zero point zero percent” he said.  “I would hope his office would set a better example regarding our disabled veterans.” 

Veterans wishing to apply for the security screener positions should refer to:http://jsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/summary.asp?OPMControl=IE7767 for the most recent security screener job announcement.

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