John W. Magaw, the under secretary of transportation for security who is head of the Transportation Security Administration, said, "There's more jobs here than we have people to fill".
President Bush appointed John Magaw, a longtime federal security official, to the new position of under secretary of transportation for security today, using a process known as a recess appointment.
The surprise firing of Mr. Magaw, who was under secretary of transportation for security, is the latest indication that his agency has not made enough progress in the huge job of tightening security at the nation's 429 commercial airports.
At a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee on May 21, the undersecretary of transportation for security, John Magaw, said no to giving pilots guns but expressed strong interest in giving them video surveillance of the cabin.
John Magaw, the new under secretary of transportation for security who will supervise the airport directors, receives a base salary of $141,300.
In the new law, Congress gave the under secretary of transportation for security flexibility in interpreting the educational requirement.
The official, Adm. James Loy, the under secretary of transportation for security, said he was authorized by Congress to thwart unionizing activity in the interest of national security.
The remarks, from Adm. James M. Loy, the undersecretary of transportation for security, were the most comprehensive statement from a top official about the deadline problems, which have been the focus of complaints from airports and airlines.
John W. Magaw, the under secretary of transportation for security, testified before the Senate Commerce Committee this morning that he had based his decision on 40 years of experience in law enforcement and consultations with experts.
John W. Magaw, the under secretary of transportation for security, said that airports would need almost 2,000 machines, but that the existing manufacturers could not produce more than 300 with their current capacity.
