WASHINGTON -- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport officials have two pieces of news to members of Congress this week: We expect security lines to worsen this summer and we'd love a passenger fee increase.

Airport officials, attending a national conference here this week, say they have worked doggedly with the Transportation Security Administration to lessen waittimes to get through security at the Minneapolis airport.

There is a new bomb-sniffing dog team and another one set to arrive in a couple of weeks. There is some hiring going on, too, for additional security screeners.

Even then, there are realities: MSP has seen more than two million more passengers over the past several years and fewer screeners to glimpse at everyone's carry-on bags.

"I'm scared for the summer," said Dan Boivin, chairman of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, or MAC, in an interview on Capitol Hill Wednesday. Summer is high season for travel to and from Minnesota. "It's all depending on TSA, how much overtime they can allocate to us ... It's not a pretty picture."

MSP CEO Jeff Hamiel agreed.

"The reality is, we have 2.5 million more passengers and 9 percent fewer screeners," he said. "It's a bad combination."

In the past three years, MSP has lost 60 screeners and airport traffic is up nearly 15 percent since 2011, serving more than 35 million travelers in 2015.

Hamiel and Boivin also touted the need to increase the $4.50 passenger fee all travelers pay who leave MSP. It hasn't been raised since 2000 and they want to increase it to pay for infrastructure, ramps for parking lots and to expand the Humphrey terminal. They have to go out and borrow the money now to do these types of improvements, but they'd rather pay for it through the passenger fees.

The airlines vociferously oppose any fee increase. Congress has to approve any increase to the $4.50 now.

Minnesota members were more focused on the security lines -- something they've been hearing about from voters.

"I'm personally grateful to TSA ... for performing the difficult task of keeping the skies safe," said Rep. Keith Ellison, in a statement. "I urge TSA to address the security line delays at MSP. People are missing and nearly missing flights."

"I intend on continuing working with both MSP and TSA," said Sen. Al Franken, in a statement. "We need to make sure our airports are secure, but also ensure travelers get through security in a timely manner."

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who, with Gov. Mark Dayton, invited the TSA administrator out to MSP to visit, said Wednesday she is pleased the federal agency has taken some responsibility for the problem.

"I just think the fact that they are aware of it, the concerned for the near future, that's good," she said. "While we know there will still be too long of lines, we know there will be some improvements."