TSA child pat-down video spurs new legislation

April 18, 2011 at 7:52 am | Posted in Aerospace Law Interfaces, Aviation Law Current Event | Leave a comment

by Sara M. Langston with the blog faculty

Source: CBS News

In the wake of controversy over video of a six-year-old girl receiving an intense pat-down while passing through airport security, a Tea Party-linked Republican is introducing legislation to prohibit pat-down searches of minors without the consent and presence of a parent.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah introduced the bill on Wednesday and sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) chief John Pistole calling the incident a “shocking violation” of TSA protocol.

The video in question shows a female TSA agent patting down the young girl at New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong International Airport security on April 5. The girl’s mother asks, “Can’t you just re-scan her?” to which the agent replies, “No.” The agent explains all of her actions to the girl and her mother as she pats down the girl and appears to conduct the pat-down in a professional manner. Still, civil rights advocates say the pat-down was unnecessary. [Full story]