Davis wants TRIP details

Transportation Security Administration officials have some answering to do before they launch their pilot for the Transit and Rail Inspection Program (TRIP) next month, according to the chairman of the House Government Affairs Committee

In a letter to David Stone, TSA acting administrator, this week, Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) said he supports the rail inspection program to be tested at the train station in New Carrollton, Md., but asked TSA for additional specifics on a range of topics related to TRIP by the second week of May.

Specifics about how TSA will staff TRIP checkpoints, and how it plans to decide which luggage to test for explosives are also in question, according to Davis' letter. In addition, Davis is requesting details about how TSA would potentially expand TRIP across the Washington, D.C., metro area and the rest of the country.

TSA officials will brief members of Congress so they are fully aware of the program before it's implemented, TSA spokeswoman Deirdre O'Sullivan said.