Dog-gone cheap TSA

SEN. CHUCK Schumer is barking at the Trump administration over a proposal to yank teams of bomb-sniffing dogs from airports and train stations.

Transportation Security Administration head David Pekoske said at a congressional hearing last week that he wants to end the agency’s use of canine Visible Intermodal Prevent and Response teams, instead requiring local governments to foot the bill if they want to keep the canines.

The bomb-sniffing dogs are used at New York airports, train stations, ferries, ports, parades and marathons to detect explosives or explosive residue, Schumer said.

Schumer (D-N.Y.) held a press conference at Penn Station on Sunday to declare the feds’ idea is “myopic and maddening.”

“Without critical canine security teams backed by feds, safety at local train stations, airports and large-scale events in New York City will simply go to the dogs,” he said.

“We are talking about preserving the most basic charge of the TSA: to keep America safe. And to suggest in a formal congressional hearing that we can do without these specially trained teams is both myopic and maddening.”

At the hearing of the House homeland security transportation subcommittee, Pekoske said the security agency did not want to pay the tab for the bomb-sniffing dogs, adding that state and local governments already have programs with functions similar to TSA’s dog teams.

It’s not the first time the Trump administration has gone after the program. Previously, President Trump proposed in his budget to cut the prevent and response program by $43 million, eliminating 23 dog teams.

But the spending plan passed by Congress ended up blocking those cuts, providing $58 million for the program, which pays for 31 teams nationwide.

New York City has a team of about 30 dogs, who move around to different security hotspots and work with trained handlers.

The Senate minority leader said the dogs can sometimes sniff out explosives that machines will not detect.

“It is unthinkable that the TSA is even considering the removal of our security fire wall,” Schumer said.

Transportation Security Administration bomb-sniffing dogs like this one would no longer be paid for by feds under Trump plan. Sen. Chuck Schumer (below) calls idea “myopic and maddening.”