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TSA sends dozens of screeners to O'Hare to cut wait times

Associated Press
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A long line of travelers wait for the TSA security check point at O'Hare International airport, Monday, May 16, 2016, in Chicago. Already faced with lines that snake through terminals out to the curb, fliers are bracing for long waits at security in the busy months of July and August. Some major airports are currently seeing wait times exceeding 90 minutes at peak hours. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) (The Associated Press)

A long line of travelers wait for the TSA security check point at O'Hare International airport, Monday, May 16, 2016, in Chicago. Already faced with lines that snake through terminals out to the curb, fliers are bracing for long waits at security in the busy months of July and August. Some major airports are currently seeing wait times exceeding 90 minutes at peak hours. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) (The Associated Press)

The Transportation Security Administration is immediately sending 58 new security officers and four more bomb-sniffing dog teams to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to address long delays at security checkpoints.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin's office says Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson assured the Illinois Democrat by phone Tuesday that resources are being directed to O'Hare, one of the most important U.S. air traffic hubs. Illinois' other senator, Republican Mark Kirk, also demanded action in a letter.

Lengthening security wait times have been a problem at major U.S. airports as passenger numbers increase with the approach of the summer travel season. TSA and Congress have cut the number of screeners in the past three years.

Durbin is also pressing TSA to speed enrollment in the PreCheck expedited screening program.

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This story has been corrected to show that the letter demanding action was from Sen. Mark Kirk.