The Department of Homeland Security is trying to get Congress to pass a law removing Congressional oversight over the Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight program.

Secure Flight is the airline passenger screening program currently in test phase which the TSA wants to roll out completely by 2006. The department wants to use commercial databases to screen passengers and attempt to find terrorists who may not be on a watch list.

Additionally, the proposed changes would permit Secure Flight to be rolled out to the nation’s airports after Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff certifies the program will be effective and not overly invasive. The current bill requires independent congressional investigators to make that determination.

The Government Accountability Office, Congress’ investigative arm, said in March that Secure Flight had yet to pass nine out of 10 tests required for certification. — Wired News

The TSA was caught using and destroying commercial database records in violation of the Privacy Act in testing the Secure Flight program.

Security expert Bruce Schneier, who served on the Secure Flight Privacy/IT Working Group, says that Secure Flight is out of control.

Looks like the DHS, being unable to comply with the law, is trying to change it. This is a rogue program that needs to be stopped. — Bruce Schneier

It’s time to shut them down. Contact your Congressman and urge them to preserve Congressional oversight over the Secure Flight program. Otherwise you may find yourself unable to fly because of something in your credit history. As a free society we cannot tolerate terrorism, but neither can we tolerate witch hunts against our own population.