Bill Proposes Abolishing TSA Within 3 Years, Shifting Airport Security to Private Firms

This legislation, titled the "Abolish TSA Act of 2025," sets out a plan to dissolve the Transportation Security Administration entirely within three years of the bill's enactment (SEC. 4). The core policy objective is to transfer all aviation security screening functions currently handled by TSA personnel at commercial airports to qualified private companies, aiming for increased cost-efficiency and security (SEC. 3). Alongside this privatization effort, the bill mandates transferring TSA's responsibilities for surface transportation security—covering mass transit, freight rail, highways, and pipelines—to the Department of Transportation (SEC. 5).

Changing of the Guard at the Checkpoint

The biggest shift detailed in the bill involves handing airport screening over to the private sector. Within 90 days of enactment, the Secretary of Homeland Security must submit a reorganization plan outlining how this transition will occur (SEC. 5). This plan includes transferring TSA equipment and activities to private screening companies operating under the existing framework outlined in federal law (49 U.S.C. 44920). Oversight wouldn't disappear entirely; the plan requires establishing an Office of Aviation Security Oversight within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to regulate these private security activities. However, this FAA office explicitly cannot employ its own screeners (SEC. 5). A key detail is that the bill prohibits requirements compelling these private contractors to conduct warrantless searches, a power currently associated with TSA's governmental authority (SEC. 5). For travelers, this could mean changes at the checkpoint – potentially different procedures or standards depending on the private company managing security at a given airport, all unfolding over the next three years.

Beyond the Airport: Reshuffling Security Duties

TSA's role isn't limited to airports, and this bill addresses its other functions too. The reorganization plan must detail the transfer of all duties related to surface transportation security – think security measures for subways, buses, freight trains, and pipelines – directly to the Department of Transportation (DOT) (SEC. 5). This consolidates non-aviation transport security under the DOT umbrella. The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to report to Congress on the progress of this entire reorganization every 30 days, with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) providing its own assessment every 180 days, ensuring ongoing scrutiny during the transition (SEC. 5).

The Human Element and Congressional Say-So

A significant consequence of abolishing a federal agency is the impact on its workforce. The bill mandates the reorganization plan include specifics on "proportional reductions of operations and personnel" leading up to the final transfer to private companies (SEC. 5), signaling job shifts or losses for current TSA employees. The transition from federal screeners to private contractors also raises practical questions about maintaining consistent training, standards, and accountability across different companies and airports. Before any of this happens, Congress gets a say. The bill lays out a specific, expedited process for both the House and Senate to review and approve the Secretary's reorganization plan via a joint resolution (SEC. 6). This ensures lawmakers formally weigh in on the detailed blueprint for dismantling the TSA and shifting its duties.