Industry group calls for swift action on new TSA chief

The Airforwarders Association asked President Obama to make the nomination.    The Airforwarders Association is calling on President Obama to nominate a new administrator to head the Transportation Security Administration, which has been without a political leader since John Pistole retired at the end of 2014.
   Melvin Carraway, a career official, is serving as TSA’s acting administrator. He previously was deputy administrator.
   The TSA has 60,000 employees and is responsible for domestic security across all modes of transport, most notably aviation.
   Although upper-level bureaucrats often keep agencies functioning normally when asked to take the reins, they typically do not have the clout to initiate new programs, seek a larger budget or initiate significant rulemakings. Outsiders worry the lack of ties to the White House can keep agencies from making needed progress on important issues.
   In a statement, AfA Executive Director Brandon Fried listed a number of policy initiatives that need a new administrator to go forward, including finalizing pending changes to TSA’s indirect air carrier cargo security program to make it more flexible and cost-effective, moving the Air Cargo Advanced Screening program towards the rulemaking stage, and allowing the use of private canines to perform security screening in certified cargo facilities.