April 16, 2025
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created following the 9/11 attacks as a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. TSA is in charge of security at the country’s airports, highways, railways, and ports.
Two republicans have introduced a bill to eliminate the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and replace it with private security. Republican Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) say that eliminating the federal agency will help to “cut waste” at the federal level.
The TSA was created as a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security following the 9/11 attacks. Before the 9/11 attacks, private security companies were tasked with securing the country’s transportation systems. TSA agents are in charge of security at the country’s airports, highways, railways, and ports. In 2024, the TSA screened more than 900 million passengers.
What To Know About the Bill To Eliminate TSA
Introduced on March 27, the Abolish TSA Act (S.1180) calls for the DHS Secretary to expeditiously eliminate or transfer all TSA authorities, enforcement functions, and programs. According to the bill, the senators are calling to privatize commercial airport security “to increase cost-efficiency and security.” It would also establish the Office of Aviation Security Oversight within the Federal Aviation Administration, headed by a director.
If the bill is passed, the TSA would be eliminated three years after its enactment. The bill reads that the Department of Transportation would assume more responsibilities amid President Donald Trump’s agenda to reduce the federal workforce and the federal budget. The Department of Transportation would be responsible for functions related to mass transit, freight rail, highways, motor carriers, and pipelines.
Critics say it’s a bad idea to return to the pre-9/11 framework.
“Security is an inherently government function, and if you take this idea to the logical extreme, then who needs a Secret Service, or who needs a government Department of Defense or Customs and Border Protection?” John Pistole, the president of Anderson University in Indiana, who served as TSA administrator under President Obama from 2010 to 2014, told Flying Magazine.
According to GovTrack, the bill currently has a 3% chance of being enacted. Still, Senator Tuberville is doubling down on his stance that the TSA is “inefficient.”
“The TSA has become an inefficient, bureaucratic mess that infringes on Americans’ freedoms and wastes taxpayer money,” Tuberville reportedly said in a statement on the bill. “It’s a bloated agency that offers minimal security benefits while causing unnecessary delays and frustration for travelers. We need to focus on smarter, more effective methods to protect our country without sacrificing the liberties that make America great.”
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