Republican senators are set to introduce legislation to dismantle the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), arguing that the agency has “overreacted and is ineffective” in detecting security threats, according to the Fox News report. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) has led the bill alongside Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), seeking to replace TSA security screenings with privatized alternatives under a new Office of Aviation Security Oversight.”
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 has said. “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 bill has proposed abolishing the TSA three years after enactment, giving time to transition security measures to private companies. It has also directed the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Transportation to develop a reorganization plan and submit it to Congress.
Tuberville has echoed Lee’s concerns, calling the agency an “inefficient, bureaucratic mess.” He has added, “It’s a bloated agency—riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars—that has led to unnecessary delays, invasive pat downs and bag checks, and frustration for travelers.”
The proposed legislation has specified that any privatized security force cannot conduct warrantless searches or extend TSA-like policies. Instead, the newly created Office of Aviation Security Oversight, operating under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), would oversee the transition.
The bill has faced an uphill battle in Congress, as it has required 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. Republicans have held a 53-seat majority, while Democrats and their allies have controlled 47 seats. The measure has been expected to face strong opposition from Democrats, who have generally resisted efforts to privatize government functions.
The proposal has aligned with broader Republican efforts to reduce federal bureaucracy, with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) actively working to streamline the administrative state.
