WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 18, 2008) — The clock is ticking on a deadline to complete congressionally-mandated school bus threat assessments with so far little to show for it. And lawmakers are incredulous it can be completed in time.

Inaction drew concern from the House Committee on Homeland Security this week after a meeting with TSA officials to discuss the status of implementing mandates of the 9/11 Commission on improving the nation’s infrastructure, including making safer the school bus system.

The committee had sent several questions regarding methodology of the assessments and budget constraints to the TSA Office of Transportation Network Sector in early December, but TSA representatives were unable to officially answer any of them during a meeting on Jan. 14. TSA is now expected to follow-up with answers by Jan. 30. H.R. 1 gives TSA until the beginning of this coming August to complete the vulnerability assessment and report its findings to Congress.

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), the committee chair, and Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC) sent a letter to TSA Administrator Edmund “Kip” Hawley that said the school bus risk assessments, section 1538 of H.R. 1 passed last August, “should be given thorough and proper consideration in order to provide Congress with substantive metrics with which to assess vulnerabilities impacting our children.”

A TSA representative said the administration fully intends to comply with the mandate and is currently evaluating all transportation sectors, adding that it has already performed evaluations with several major school districts across the country.