CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION DISAPPROVING TSA PROPOSAL ALLOWING SMALL KNIVES ON COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT

Says implementation of plan should be delayed indefinitely to avoid placing persons at risk

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee and Ranking Member of its Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee, released the following statement today regarding bipartisan legislation (H. Res. 156) she introduced today with Congressman Michael Grimm (R-NY) which expresses Congressional disapproval of a plan announced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to permit passengers to carry small knives on board commercial aircraft and urging TSA to delay implementation of the plan indefinitely pending extensive, constructive, and collaborative consultation with air transit industry stakeholders:

“The bipartisan resolution (H. Res. 156) I introduced today with Congressman Grimm of New York calls upon the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) not to go forward with proposed changes to its ‘Prohibited Items List’ that would allow potentially dangerous items, including small knives, to be carried aboard commercial aircraft. We believe that this policy places the American public, flight attendants, federal air marshals, and pilots at risk. We took this action because protecting the flying public and the air transit industry stakeholders from unreasonable risks of harm is not a partisan or regional issue but an American issue.

“On March 5, 2013, TSA publicly announced its decision to permit passengers, effective April 25, 2013, to bring previously-banned items in their carry-on baggage when boarding flights.  Prohibited items that would now be permitted include hockey or lacrosse sticks, golf clubs, and, most alarmingly, small knives. 

“The terrorists who attacked us on September 11th, overpowered crew members and pilots and gained access to the cockpits using box cutters, which are small sharp knife-like objects. And just last week, the nation was reminded of the terrible harm that even small sharp objects like a razor utility knife can inflict when a lone assailant stabbed 14 people with an “exacto” knife on the campus of Lone Star College in Houston, Texas.

“Accordingly, this resolution puts the House on record in opposition to TSA’s plan and the expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that TSA to delay implementation of those changes indefinitely until after such time that TSA conducts a formal engagement process which involves meaningful consultation and input from all affected air transit industry stakeholders, including flight attendants, airline pilots, and federal air marshals. 

“The American public has expressed its disapproval of this unwanted and unasked for change to the Prohibited Items List. Now is the time to stand with them and for TSA to rescind its proposal before   before it goes into effect on April 25, 2013.”

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