More than 25,000 security breaches have occurred at US airports since November 2001, a congressional panel has heard.
Jason Chaffetz cited government figures showing the airports were still vulnerable to terror attacks, despite billions invested in security.
Some 6,000 passengers and pieces of luggage breached security screening.
But the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said the number of breaches represented a fraction of the 5.5bn people screened since 2001.
The TSA said the definition of a security breach was broad, and could represent a range of different situations.
Mr Chaffetz, chairman of a House of Representatives subcommittee, told the panel that more than 14,000 people were able to access sensitive areas of US airports since 2001.
Some 6,000 passengers and pieces of carry-on luggage were able to make it past government checkpoints without proper scrutiny.
via BBC News – US airports still vulnerable to attacks, says lawmaker. The TSA is so effective it’s ineffective.