Though it's not the first time Texas Congressman Ron Paul has introduced a bill to end the TSA abuse of American travellers, perhaps this time Congress will actually take him up on the idea. Minutes ago, the former doctor introduced the "American Traveler Dignity Act" on the floor of Congress. As Paul explained, the bill...
"establishes that airport security screeners are not immune from any US law regarding physical contact with another person, making images of another person, or causing physical harm through the use of radiation-emitting machinery on another person. It means they are not above laws the rest of us must obey.
Paul has been one the TSA's strongest opponents, even opposing the expansion of the agency back in 2001 (following the 9/11 attacks) when many other politicians were using the terror threat following 9/11 as an excuse to further regulate the airline industry. He recently said:
"If the perpetrators were a gang of criminals, their headquarters would be raided by SWAT teams and armed federal agents. Unfortunately in this case, the perpetrators are armed federal agents...the unfortunate fact that we put up with this doesn't speak well to our willingness to stand up to an abusive government."
This legislation comes on the heel of widespread outrage at the TSA's methods and abuses of American travellers. Just last week, a 95-year-old woman was held for 45 minutes at Northwest Florida Regional Airport while trying to board a plane to be with family members as she faced the final stages of her battle with leukemia. Americans deserve better than this.
For more on the TSA embarrassment, see Helen Whalen-Cohen's full breakdown of the agency's failures and abuses in "Agency of Incompetence" in the July Issue of Townhall Magazine.