Republicans look to replace TSA with privatised airport security
March 28, 2025
Republican senators, Mike Lee and Tommy Tuberville, have proposed a bill to “Abolish the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)” in the US.
The bill would privatise airport security under federal oversight with Lee and Tuberville saying the TSA , which was established post-9/11, is bloated and ineffective. A new Office of Aviation Security Oversight would allow airports in the US to compete to provide the safest, most efficient and least intrusive security measures. The senators also highlighted the success of European airports – where over 80% have privatised security screening.
Bureaucratic behemoth
“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,” said Lee, referencing a 2015 assessment, which found that TSA agents missed 95% of mock explosives and banned weapons.
Describing the TSA as a “bureaucratic behemoth” with 60,000 employees, he added the proposed bill to privatise security at American airports would bring the TSA “to a welcome end” and allow passengers to travel “without feeling the hands of an army of federal employees.”
Under the proposed bill, the Department of Homeland Security would be tasked with delivering a reorganisation plan to Congress within 90 days of the bill’s enactment. The plan would see the creation of the Office of Aviation Security Oversight within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to oversee the privatisation of aviation security screening. It would see the rapid transfer of security activities and equipment to qualified private companies, as well as the transfer of non-aviation security functions to the Department of Transport and proportional reductions of TSA operations and personnel.
More streamlined services
Lee was joined by Tuberville, who said the “TSA is a bloated agency – riddled with waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars.” He added that it was also the cause of “unnecessary delays, invasive pat downs and bag checks, as well as frustration for travellers.” Asserting that the focus should be on efficient and effective security screening methods that don’t impact the “liberties and freedoms of American citizens.”
The TSA’s replacement with privatised solutions he concluded will see more targeted, streamlined services that are where appropriate, accountable to limited government oversight.”
If successful the bill would see the TSA being abolished three years after enactment.
