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By Steve Hall |
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August 25, 2010 -
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano on
Tuesday announced that 100 percent of passengers flying domestically and
internationally on U.S. airlines are now being checked against
government watch lists through the Transportation Security
Administration's (TSA) Secure Flight program—the second major step in
fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation achieved this month.
DHS announcement
comes less than three weeks after TSA reached 100 percent watchlist
checking for all passengers traveling within the |
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"Secure Flight
fulfills a key recommendation of the of the 9/11 Commission Report,
enabling TSA to screen passengers directly against government watchlists
using passenger name, date of birth, and gender before a boarding pass
is issued," said Secretary Napolitano. "This achievement significantly
enhances one of our many layers of security—coordinated with our
partners in the airline industry and governments around the world—that
we leverage to protect the traveling public against threats of
terrorism."
Under Secure
Flight, TSA prescreens passenger name, date of birth and gender against
government watchlists for domestic and international flights. In
addition to facilitating secure travel for all passengers, the program
helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar
to individuals on government watchlists.
"We are pleased to
have been a part of this industry/government collaborative effort,
working toward fulfilling this extraordinarily ambitious automation
security program," said Air Transport Association President and CEO
James C. May. "By streamlining processes through a single government
entity, Secure Flight is a win-win for passengers—streamlining check-in
processes while enhancing security." |