Right Change: Senate Dems Want To Raise Fees for TSA Services

As if we needed another inconvenience at the airport. The Senate Appropriations Committee moved forward with legislation to increase “passenger security fees” today. The 2013 Homeland Security appropriations bill would increase round-trip fees for passengers from $5 to $10 in an effort to close a budget shortfall for the TSA. Lawmakers are arguing over who should pick up the tab. You can imagine who wants to stick it to the taxpayers:

“Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) said the $315 million in funding would otherwise come from taxpayers and argued it is better to stick passengers who rely on TSA with the bill.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) sponsored an amendment to strip out the fee increase and offset the loss of revenue with cuts to state and local grants, emergency food and shelter funding, and dropping $89 million in funding for a new highway interchange leading to the Homeland Security’s new headquarters in southeast Washington, D.C. Hutchison noted that the Senate had decided not to increase the fees in the recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill.

That amendment was defeated on a 15-15 vote. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) joined Republicans in supporting the measure to strip out the fee increase.”

It’s nice that the Democrats want to make it seem as though passengers “rely” on the services the TSA provides, therefore; they should pay more. Last week, we wrote about just how much our national security relies on TSA Grandma pat downs after reports surfaced that the most recent underwear bomber would have not been stopped by the TSA has the CIA not un foiled the plot. Today’s news raises the same issue: are the security efforts performed by the TSA worth a doubled fee increase that comes out of your pocket?

Shouldn’t “We the People” decide what cost we want to pay to fly as well as what security service we feel the safest using? Senate Democrats are incapable of passing a budget, but they are completely capable of passing an increase in TSA grope fees. How much more do we have to pay for government services that do nothing but cost us more money?

While you’re contemplating, this is a perfect video to watch while doing so. Enjoy a Right Change throwback, TSA Sexy.

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