Allegations of misconduct at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continued to grow even after a watchdog report highlighted wrongdoing at the agency, according to an investigation led by congressional Republicans.



A report released by two House Homeland Security subcommittees on Thursday found that the number of misconduct claims filed against TSA employees rose by almost 29 percent from 2013 to 2015.



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Those numbers increased despite a Government Accountability Office report in 2013 that highlighted misconduct at the TSA and found that the agency did not have proper procedures in place to address such claims.The GOP’s joint investigation also discovered that even though the number of misconduct allegations grew, the TSA conducted fewer investigations into the claims and took fewer disciplinary actions against employees.Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, blasted the agency’s inadequate response to reports of misconduct at a time when he said the aviation sector is experiencing the highest threat environment since 9/11.“Terrorist groups remain obsessed with both attacking civil aviation and recruiting Westerners,” the Pennsylvania Republican said at a Thursday hearing. “The last thing the American people need to be concerned with are corrupt, insolent and unethical airport screeners.”The hearing came two months after another committee heard testimony from several TSA whistleblowers who claimed that poor leadership and a culture of retaliation were making it harder for the agency to address security gaps.The latest investigation from House Republicans found that there were 17,627 allegations of misconduct, or the equivalent of one complaint against one in every three TSA employees, in fiscal year 2015. There were workers with numerous complaints lodged against them: 1,270 employees had five or more misconduct allegations filed against them, according to the report.The type of misconduct claims ranged from failing to follow instructions and ignoring security procedures to facilitating drug smuggling and sexually assaulting travelers.“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Perry said.TSA officials — who emphasized that the GOP report just highlights allegations — acknowledged that there are instances of wrongdoing at the agency but vowed to better analyze the data about misconduct claims in order to detect and mitigate trends.“The department didn’t know much about the data until our team went in and started asking questions,” Perry said."As an engineer, I value data,” said Huban Gowadia, the TSA’s deputy administrator. “I do appreciate that data when carefully analyzed can help you shape the course of an organization.”The Office of Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security said it is already taking steps to improve its whistleblower program, such as hiring specially trained investigators and expanding the claim review process.“While we are confident that these changes will make us more effective, we also understand that it will take constant vigilance and dedicated effort to ensure that whistleblowers who have claims of retaliation are listened to and that their claims are fairly and independently investigated,” said Andrew Oosterbaan, assistant inspector general for investigations.Officials also pointed out that the GOP’s report was based on data from a period before TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger stepped into the role.Neffenger, who was tasked with overhauling the agency last summer after the majority of screeners failed to detect fake bombs and weapons in security tests, has already capped excessive bonuses, ended the practice of forced reassignments and retrained checkpoint screeners and senior management.But while Republicans generally commended Neffenger’s efforts, they raised concern about whether the changes would be institutionalized as the next administration begins its term.“TSA must be committed to reform. There cannot be lip service to what TSA is doing to address these findings,” Perry said. “There needs to be a significant and lasting reform, from the top to the bottom of the agency.”