The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had a successful year in 2022, the agency reports, and commended personnel for several accomplishments.
“I am incredibly proud of our dedicated TSA employees who perform the critical task of securing our nation’s transportation systems each day,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said, noting the year ended with the enactment of the FY 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which included funding to bring TSA employee compensation to a level commensurate with other federal employees. “For years, our employees have not been paid fairly, and securing pay parity was necessary from an operational standpoint as we continue to see increasing travel volumes, and will also help our ability to recruit and hire new employees and retain the talent we have.”
TSA personnel set a new record in firearm interceptions by Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) at checkpoints while screening an average of over two million passengers daily at airports nationwide.
Additionally, the TSA noted other 2022 accomplishments include the agency collaborating with industry partners to revise previous rail and pipeline Security Directives and issue performance-based pipeline Security Directives to bolster cybersecurity resilience for the nation’s pipelines and rail systems; TSA conducting more than 500 domestic response plan exercises; providing self-defense training for airline employees; and offering truck, port and rail workers online options to securely renew credentials and increased intelligence sharing with surface and aviation partners.
In 2022, TSA hired its first executive officer to lead diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. The Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Officer is responsible for designing, developing, and recommending a diversity management strategy aligning with and contributing directly to TSA’s mission and strategic goals.