US airport security agency does not rule out privatization

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By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The acting head of Transportation Security Administration said on Tuesday the agency did not rule out considering a plan to privatize the government agency while defending a proposed cut for screening officers.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Some Republican senators want to privatize the agency that was created by Congress after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

KEY QUOTE

“Nothing is off the table,” Acting TSA Administrator Ha McNeill said at U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee hearing. “If new privatization schemes make sense, then we’re happy to have that discussion… There could be airports that choose to privatize and others that do not.”

She also said nearly 7% of U.S. travelers are not complying with new enhanced ID requirements to enter airport security checkpoints since rules took effect about two weeks ago,

CONTEXT

Earlier this month, the White House said it wants to cut funding for the TSA by $247 million, saying “TSA has consistently failed audits while implementing intrusive screening measures that violate Americans’ privacy and dignity.”

McNeill said that the budget cut represented about a 3-4% cut to TSA staffing levels — with half for staff at exit lanes and the remaining cut of 2% of transportation security officers spread across 435 airports.

The Biden administration increased the size of the TSA, which has nearly 60,000 employees as air travel has increased in recent years. The TSA screened 904 million passengers in 2024, which was a record high and a 5% increase over 2023.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said earlier this month air travelers without “REAL ID” cards could face enhanced security procedures but would not be denied access to flights under the rules that took effect May 7.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter and Edward Tobin)