Amid a flurry of regulatory shake-ups, President Donald Trump also plans to wind down a 36-year-old aviation security committee. The move comes after Transportation Security Administration head David Pekoske was ousted on Inauguration Day.
Established in 1989 following the Pan Am 103 bombing near Lockerbie, Scotland, the Aviation Security Advisory Committee was mandated by Congress. It was made up of key aviation industry stakeholders, including airlines and labor unions.
A group representing victims from the 1988 bombing were also members. According to its website, the committee “provides advice to the TSA administrator on aviation security matters, including the development, refinement, and implementation of policies, programs, rulemaking, and security directives pertaining to aviation security.”
The committee was made permanent in December 2014 and meets around four times a year.
Per an Associated Press report, a memo was sent to committee members on Tuesday relieving them of their duties. The letter stated that the change was part of a “commitment to eliminating the misuse of resources and ensuring that DHS activities prioritize our national security.”
While the committee continues to exist on paper, it will have no members, the report said. All advisory committees within DHS are likely affected.
Pan Am flight 103 still remains one of the deadliest air disasters of all time. The bombing killed 270 people, 11 of which were on the ground in the Scottish town.
