Republican Utah Senator Mike Lee revisited his call for Congress to abolish the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and suggested airlines should be in charge of screening passengers.
The TSA was a direct response to the 2001 September 11 coordinated terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia that led to the deaths of 3,000 civilians.
The organization, created to prevent similar future attacks, is run by the agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security.
As part of the screening process, TSA agents conduct "pat down" inspections that include “inspection of the head, neck, arms, torso, legs, and feet" of travelers who set off a screening sensor.
"Tired of being groped every time you travel? Abolish TSA," wrote Lee in a post over the weekend on X (formerly Twitter).
Lee complained about the invasive protocol in a follow-up, writing, "Make Airport Security Free Of Sexual Assault Again."
The comment was in response to a user who wrote, "Make Flying Fun Again!"
Lee has slammed the agency before, calling its screening process “needlessly slow.”
The Senator first called for the elimination of the TSA on March 11, 2023, writing:
“It’s time to abolish the TSA. Airlines can and will secure their own planes if a federal agency doesn’t do it for them."
He added:
"They’ll do it better than TSA, without undermining the Constitution and with less groping — showing more respect for passengers.”
However, the internet doesn't agree with Lee.
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It remains unclear when and if the GOP Senator plans to move forward by introducing legislation to do away with the air travel security agency.
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