May 2006
Despite opposition from the airline industry and some
civil liberties groups, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced last
month it intends to move forward with its Registered Traveler program, adding the
program at 10-20 airports before the end of this year. The exact airports
haven’t been announced yet but will be revealed in the coming months.
Details
About 68.2 million U.S. citizens, or roughly 23 percent of the American population, currently possess valid passports. The U.S. State Department issued 10,123,424 new passports in 2005 alone. And, as the busy summer travel season approaches, millions more travelers will apply for or renew their passports. Starting this summer, applicants will be issued new, state-of-the-art electronic passports, a State Department official said.