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Washington, D.C.—The announcement by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to schedule floor debate and a vote on the pending nomination of Erroll Southers to be administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as soon as the Senate reconvenes was welcomed by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).

“This decision by Sen. Reid should open the way for approval of this clearly well-qualified nominee,” said NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley, who noted that Southers already has been approved by two Senate committees. “There is bipartisan support for him and he should be approved as soon as possible,” said Kelley.

“This nationwide agency has been without permanent leadership for too long. Given the critical role TSA employees play in securing aviation safety, the Senate must act promptly,” she added.

The agency’s Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) are on the ground at more than 400 U.S. airports and are responsible for checking both passengers and baggage for dangerous materials. “TSOs are dedicated to the mission of the agency and work diligently every day to achieve that mission,” President Kelley said. “TSA would be much better positioned to strengthen its efforts with a permanent leader. Further delay in Senate confirmation will only get in the way of bringing needed stability to TSA and addressing pressing workplace issues,” she said.

Among the issues to be addressed at TSA, the NTEU leader, are its continuing over-reliance on private contractors, high attrition, the need for uniform application of TSA policies at airports throughout the country and employee morale. “Permanent leadership is a critical element in effectively addressing these and other pressing issues at TSA,” Kelley said.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments, including thousands of the TSA employees at dozens of airports.