Utah GOP Sen. Lee introduces bill to abolish the TSA

Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee on Thursday introduced a bill with Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville, seeking to abolish the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) due to privacy concerns at airports. 

The legislation would abolish the TSA three years after passage, according to Fox News, and calls for the secretaries of Homeland Security and Transportation to make a reorganization plan to submit to Congress. The plan may not extend the TSA.

The three-year delay would offer airports time to privatize security. The bill would also create an Office of Aviation Security Oversight to oversee the privatization of airport security. That office would fall under the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

"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," Lee said in a statement to Fox. "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."

The proposed legislation comes as Republicans look to drastically reduce the size and scope of the federal government. It also comes at a time of increased scrutiny of U.S. airports following several aviation issues during the first few months of the year.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.