Baer, the former CIA operative, said the problem is far more serious than overwhelming reports of potential threats.
"If they (terrorists) were more competent, then we would have lost a lot more airplanes," he said. "We're lucky that they are incompetent."
Baer said that a bomb can be hidden in an object as small as an Apple iPod and the chances of detecting it are slim to none - making an accurate, instantly searchable database of suspects all the more crucial.
He said he cannot understand why a sharable, searchable database - similar to Google's internet search engine - is not maintained by the U.S. intelligence community.
The American intelligence official insisted such a system is not so simple: "There are different spellings for names, plus some of the information is classified and cannot be put on the list."
Replied Baer: "You can search voting records or property lists on the Internet much quicker than the FBI can find out if someone is a bad guy on their own lists."
Rep. Hoekstra said that if aviation-security officials followed the rule book, then "clearly we need to rewrite this rule book, so that our law enforcement has a little more latitude as this threat adapts to our security measures and becomes more complex."
Hoekstra said that politics inevitably will arise in any debate over increased security restrictions. "That is why I am so frustrated, because the (Obama) administration is not briefing Congress, all of Congress.
"This is a moment that Republicans and Democrats can be unified on keeping Americans safe. At least on this we can speak with one voice."