WASHINGTON — The White House on Tuesday prodded Congress to agree on a funding package for the fledgling transportation safety agency set up after the Sept. 11 attacks, as the administration moved around money to keep the agency running, according to a wire service.
In a letter sent to lawmakers on Monday, the Bush administration said it was reallocating $270 million to the Transportation Security Administration from funds that had been slated for other purposes.
In the letter, the administration said it was the second time it had arranged a “bridge loan” for the agency.
“This option will not be available a third time,” the letter cautioned. “It is imperative that the Congress quickly pass an acceptable emergency supplemental bill to prevent a disruption of commercial air travel.”
The agency, set up after the Sept. 11 attacks to secure the nation’s transport systems, has come under attack from lawmakers for overspending as it rushes to hire enough passenger screeners to meet deadlines imposed by Congress.
The agency says it ultimately will need a staff of about 65,000 people, including 1,300 at its Washington headquarters, to meet its mandate under the aviation security bill passed by Congress last year.
The Senate has voted to appropriate $4.7 billion to run the agency until the end of the fiscal year in October. That is $1.1 billion more than the White House requested and $850 million more than the House has approved.
House and Senate leaders met during the last several weeks to hammer out their differences on the agency’s funding, which is part of a larger supplemental spending bill. Congressional aides said they expect an agreement next week when lawmakers return from the July 4 holiday.