TWIC still not suitable: GOA report

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has still has not developed a reliable system to control port access with biometric identification cards, despite a decade of work, the Government Accountability Office (GOA) has said.

In reference to the Transportation Worker Identification Program managed by the TSA and USCG within the DHS, the Accountability Office has questioned findings reported to Congress by the Department of Homeland Security from a pilot test of TWICs with biometric readers. Now the federal auditors want answers.

According to a scathing GAO report, the TSA and the USCG didn’t record clear baselines and didn’t track malfunctioning TWICs.

The House Government Reform and Oversight Committee is currently holding a subcommittee hearing on TSA’s work to implement the system. (livestream link).

So far, more than 2.5 million workers are enrolled in the program and the card is valid for users for 5 years.According to the TWIC website, cards contain fingerprint records, as well as a digital photograph of the card holder.

Reported previously, the International Biometrics & Identification Association recently came out to say it strongly disagreed with reports that the TWIC program does not work. At the time, the IBIA was reacting to a notice by the U.S. Department of the Army that argued the “TWIC does not meet DOD security standards.”

Article Topics

access control  |  security  |  TSA  |  TWIC