House Republicans Request GAO Review of TSA’s AI and Biometric Technologies

Republican leaders of the House Homeland Security Committee have requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of the Transportation Security Administration’s implementation of artificial intelligence and biometric technology solutions. This request comes as the TSA has expanded its facial recognition systems to 80 U.S. airports and plans for nationwide implementation ahead of the 2025 REAL ID deadline.

The review aims to evaluate multiple aspects of these technologies, including their cost-effectiveness, operational impact, and privacy implications. Lawmakers are specifically seeking information about cost-benefit analyses, operational efficiency impacts, privacy and data protection measures, comparisons with other agencies’ biometric use, and projected long-term costs and benefits of expanding these technologies. This scrutiny follows recent Congressional concerns about privacy and bias in the TSA’s facial recognition deployment.

The TSA has deployed AI and biometric technologies to enhance security measures at U.S. transportation hubs and checkpoints. In January 2024, the National Academies of Sciences issued recommendations calling for increased federal action to prevent the leakage of sensitive citizen data collected at checkpoints. This development is particularly significant given that funding diversions have already threatened to delay the full implementation of TSA’s biometric program until 2049.

“As TSA continues to adopt biometric identification technologies and leverage artificial intelligence to enhance screening procedures, it is imperative that Congress evaluates the cost-effectiveness, operational impact, and privacy implications of these advanced tools,” stated the lawmakers in their letter to the GAO.

Matt Gilkeson, TSA’s Chief Technology, Data, and Artificial Intelligence Officer, emphasized the agency’s focus on responsible implementation. “TSA, from day one of our creation with any technology we deploy, has always looked at the technology from a lens of function, safety, security, equity and accessibility,” Gilkeson stated. He also noted that participation in biometric technology testing remains voluntary, with travelers having the option to opt out, a policy that aligns with the agency’s commitment to passenger privacy rights.

The agency is currently prioritizing talent acquisition and responsible deployment of generative AI technologies while maintaining existing policies and authorities for technology testing procedures. This initiative runs parallel to the TSA’s ongoing efforts to expand biometric screening capabilities across major transportation hubs, including partnerships with commercial airlines to implement touchless passenger verification systems.

Sources: Nextgov/FCW

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January 9, 2025 – by Cass Kennedy