New TSA chief sworn-in

New Transportation Security Administration chief Peter Neffenger was sworn-in to the position atop the nation’s airport security agency on Monday. 

Neffenger was tapped by President Obama in April to lead the agency, which has come under fire this year after reports that its agents failed to find fake bombs and weapons in internal tests at almost all of America’s busiest airports.

Neffenger was quickly approved for the TSA chief position by the Senate after the failings became public in effort to quell concerns among passengers about the safety of flying. 

{mosads}The newly-minted TSA chief said Monday that he is ready to get to work reforming the beleaguered airport security agency. 

“TSA’s mission is critical to the safety and security of our nation,” Neffenger said in a statement released by the agency. 

“I am deeply honored to continue serving our country, particularly alongside the dedicated men and women of TSA,” he continued. “I look forward to applying my years of leadership experience, law enforcement background and security skills to protecting our nation’s transportation systems.”

The TSA has faced intense scrutiny since the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general documented in May a series of undercover stings in which agents tried to pass through security with prohibited items.

They made it through in nearly all the tests — 67 of 70 — including one instance in which a TSA screener failed to find a fake bomb, even after the undercover agent set off a magnetometer. The screener reportedly let the agent through with the fake bomb taped to his back, having missed it during a pat-down.

The TSA’s acting administrator, Melvin Carraway, was removed from office after the findings became public.

Democrats sought to defuse criticism of the TSA’s failed bomb tests by accusing the Republican-led Senate of dragging its feet on approving Neffenger.