House Republicans introduced Thursday legislation to block the Biden administration’s newly issued screening policies aimed at improving the airport experience for transgender passengers, calling the updates a threat to national security.
The Security Americans from Transportation Insanity Act, led by Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Dan Bishop of North Carolina, would prevent the Transportation Security Administration from using federal funds to implement the planned updates, which were announced by the White House on March 31, or Transgender Day of Visibility.
As Ms. Boebert’s website put it: “Don’t woke the TSA.”
The new White House rules call for reducing the number of pat-downs; updating the TSA PreCheck and Trusted Traveler programs to include the “X” gender marker; promoting the use of the “X” with airlines, and removing “gender considerations” from TSA Standard Operating Procedures.
“If you doubt the Biden regime is on a woke crusade to remake America in its own image, then look no further than the TSA’s new trans screening policies,” said Ms. Boebert in a Thursday statement.
“Decreasing pat-downs and identity validation measures for people identifying as transgender might validate delusional leftists, but it does nothing for passenger safety,” she said. “In fact, they are practically inviting terrorists to take advantage of our weak and woke security systems. The TSA literally has one job — and this isn’t it.”
The White House said that TSA would begin deploying updated screening technology later this year to “improve the customer experience of transgender travelers who have previously been required to undergo additional screening due to alarms in sensitive areas.”
“This new technology will help to improve the experience of travelers, particularly those who are transgender and non-binary travelers,” said the White House in its announcement.
Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida Republican, compared the modified airport-security policies to the gender-identity push in female sports and K-12 education.
“I am proud to stand up against this lunacy and support the Securing Americans from Transportation Insanity Act to prohibit this extreme ideology that threatens our national security and rejects science,” said Mr. Donalds.
Rep. Ralph Norman, South Carolina Republican, said that security is “not a gender issue, it’s a safety issue.”
“Allowing woke transgender policy to dictate TSA processes sets a dangerous precedent,” he said.
The bill is also supported by the conservative groups Heritage Action and the Family Research Council.
Rep. Bob Good, Virginia Republican, said the “leftist woke agenda is a threat to our national security!”
“Making travel ‘gender-neutral’ is not only ridiculous and unscientific, it makes it harder to keep us safe. The government’s job is to protect Americans – not liberal’s feelings,” said Mr. Good.
* story by The Washington Times
