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CV NEWS FEED // A group of Republican lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday to eliminate the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), arguing that airport security would be handled better by private companies under federal oversight.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Ut., joined by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Al., unveiled the “Abolish the TSA Act of 2025,” which would dissolve the TSA and establish an Office of Aviation Security Oversight within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to supervise privatized security operations.
“The TSA has not only intruded into the privacy and personal space of most Americans, it has also repeatedly failed tests to find weapons and explosives. Our bill privatizes security functions at American airports under the eye of an Office of Aviation Security Oversight, bringing this bureaucratic behemoth to a welcome end,” Lee said in a statement. “American families can travel safely without feeling the hands of an army of federal employees.”
Lee and Tuberville argue that the bill would increase efficiency and safety, citing that over 80% of European airports already use private security firms with success.
They pointed to a 2015 undercover investigation where TSA agents failed to detect 95% of mock explosives and weapons during covert testing. Agents missed 67 out of 70 test items, according to the investigation.
Tuberville, a vocal critic of government overreach, described the TSA as “an inefficient, bureaucratic mess that infringes on Americans’ freedoms.”
“It’s a bloated agency—riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars—that has led to unnecessary delays, invasive pat downs and bag checks, and frustration for travelers,” he added. “We need to focus on more efficient and effective methods to protect our country without sacrificing the liberties and freedoms of American citizens.”
Lee, a long-time opponent of TSA’s policies, has criticized both its security performance and invasive screening procedures.
“Airlines can and will secure their own planes if a federal agency doesn’t do it for them. They’ll do it better than TSA, without undermining the Constitution and with less groping—showing more respect for passengers,” Lee wrote last year on X.
The bill is currently in its introductory stage and will undergo further review before potentially advancing to the Senate floor.
“Competition drives excellence, efficiency, and safety—not bureaucracy. TSA, the regulating entity in aviation security, should not be conducting the regulated activity,” Lee wrote in support of the bill.
