Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Two New Anti-TSA Bits of Legislation

Sen. Rand Paul, like a vast many Americans who travel or who just don’t like having their business felt up by some rando at the airport in the name of inefficient security procedures, is no big fan of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA.

Rand Paul has had very public run-ins with the TSA, but the agency is no stranger to controversy. Whether they’re forcing a lactating mother to drink her own breast milk, confiscating cupcakes, putting toddlers on the no-fly list, patting down pre-schoolers, humiliating the elderly or just exposing you to useless and potentially dangerous radiation, the TSA is nobody’s friend. If it were an ice cream flavor, it would be pralines and dick.

Rand Paul has, however, in the past sparred with the intrusive and constitutionally sketchy agency, and Twitter conservatives were thralled when Paul’s dad and Libertarian hero Ron Paul tweeted a few months back that Rand had been detained at a Nashville airport for refusing a TSA patdown.

After the event, Rand Paul was clearly annoyed, but played down the use of the word “detained,” explaining that he basically felt he was being cowed into compliance. Of the incident, Paul explained what he found so alarming about the TSA‘s behavior:

“I suspect that the scanner is randomly setting off an alarm that’s not a real alarm so you’re made to feel like you did something wrong and then you get the pat-down. Does the screener have the ability to push a button and randomly get someone to set off the screener?”

But the TSA’s behavior was not without consequence, as Paul is now introducing two pieces of legislation to protect passengers and even possibly privatize TSA-like operations at airports. In a statement, Paul explains a potential passenger bill of rights:

“While aviation security is undoubtedly important, we must be diligent in protecting the rights of all Americans, such as their freedom from being subjected to humiliating and intrusive searches by TSA agents, especially when there is no obvious cause.”

Paul continues:

“It is important that the rules and boundaries of our airport screening process be transparent and easily available to travelers so that proper restraints are in place on screeners. Travelers should be empowered with the knowledge necessary to protect themselves from a violation of their rights and dignity.”

Do you believe Rand Paul’s TSA bills will help, or should the agency be banned altogether?