[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6996]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NO MORE EXCUSES FROM TSA

  (Mr. ZELDIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, why does it seem like no one at an airport 
security checkpoint has been delegated with that awesome, yet 
shockingly absent, power of common sense? Why is the 80-year-old granny 
in a wheelchair being harassed? Why is the U.S. military servicemember 
in uniform with a military ID on military orders having his or her 
toothpaste confiscated?
  As the management and resource allocation issues rise that are 
plaguing the bureaucracy at the TSA, red flags are going up with the 
peak travel season nearly upon us. Some airline passengers report wait 
times of as long as 2 or 3 hours to get through security.
  Long lines will only get longer if the TSA doesn't pursue a course 
correction, that of coordinating with airport authorities and airlines 
to ensure that staffing levels match peak travel times.
  If you have four lanes being occupied and if you have a long wait, 
maybe you should occupy some more of the available security lanes. 
Allow law enforcement to do its law enforcement duties to free up more 
screeners to screen.
  Airlines can do their part by knocking off the madness with the 
hidden baggage fees. The trick might help fill seats on planes, but it 
is resulting in more people taking their baggage through security.
  By the way, the TSA doesn't have a funding issue. Last year this 
Congress gave it more than it asked for. No one wants to hear the TSA's 
excuses.

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