Sens. Corzine, Lautenberg ask TSA to act on security concerns at Newark Airport Associated Press WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Jon Corzine and Frank Lautenberg called on federal officials Monday to change the way security screeners are hired at Newark Liberty International Airport and to correct what they termed as chronic understaffing at one of the nation's busiest airports. The Democrats' concerns were outlined in a letter to Rear Admiral David M. Stone, the acting administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. The Sunday Star-Ledger of Newark reported the day before that thousands of bags are loaded daily onto planes at the airport without being scanned for explosives, and several current and former screeners said the airport had inadequate staff. The screeners told the newspaper they were pressured to keep lines moving, which affected security. TSA officials disagreed with the newspaper's report, but did say the airport was understaffed and that they were in the process of hiring hundreds of new workers. The senators said the TSA must address concerns at the airport, which "appears to be chronically understaffed with security screeners to meet even current travel demands." They also said local security administration officials should have control over hiring - a job currently contracted to an outside firm. "We ask baggage and personnel screeners at Newark Liberty International Airport to provide a vital layer of security for the traveling public, yet the conditions in which they are required to toil only contributes to skyrocketing stress levels," the senators wrote in their joint letter. Under federal guidelines put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the nation's 429 commercial airports were required to have all checked bags manually tested for explosive residue or pass through bomb-detection machines. One of the four hijacked planes originated in Newark. Newark was one of five airports to miss an extended deadline at the end of 2002. By the time another extension expired last December, the airport had installed 50 bomb-detection machines but was unable to pass all checked luggage through them due to manpower shortages. Newark Liberty handled 29.4 million passengers last year, making it one of the nation's busiest airports. Roger EWROPS