"Footless" Senate Democrat demands that TSA lift its "shoes-on" policy, calling it a "reckless" safety risk

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-democrat-demands-tsa-lift-shoes-on-
policy-safety-risk/

A key senator is demanding the Transportation Security Administration 
reverse its decision to let travelers keep their shoes on their feet while 
passing through airport screening, a controversial policy at the center of 
a classified security warning — escalating pressure on the agency 
following months of scrutiny over airport security vulnerabilities.

In a letter obtained exclusively by CBS News, Sen. Tammy Duckworth 
demanded that TSA immediately rescind its "shoes-on" policy, calling it a 
"reckless act" that may be placing the flying public at risk.

The Illinois Democrat, who serves as ranking member of the Senate 
subcommittee overseeing aviation, warned that the policy was likely 
implemented "without meaningful consultation with TSA." She cited an 
investigation by the Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog 
that found it created a new security vulnerability in airport screening 
systems.

An "outrageous" danger to the flying public
Duckworth's demand marks the first direct call from a lawmaker to reverse 
the policy, following CBS News' reporting on a classified inspector 
general audit that used covert "red team" testing to identify serious 
vulnerabilities in TSA screening nationwide. 

The classified watchdog report found that TSA scanners are unable to 
effectively screen shoes, raising concerns that threat items could evade 
detection. But those findings were buried by DHS leadership, according to 
previous reporting by CBS News. 

Duckworth writes that the inspector general flagged the issue as urgent in 
a rare "Seven-Day Letter" to then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem 
— but no corrective action was taken.

She called that failure "outrageous, unacceptable and dangerous to the 
flying public."

"Allowing a potentially catastrophic security deficiency to remain in 
place for seven months and counting betrays TSA's mission," wrote 
Duckworth. "At a minimum, TSA's failure to swiftly implement corrective 
action warrants the immediate withdrawal of Secretary Noem's reckless and 
dangerous policy that increases the risk of a terrorist smuggling a 
dangerous item onto a flight."

Did the TSA violate federal law?
In her letter to acting TSA Administrator Nguyen McNeill, dated April 3, 
the Illinois senator argues that TSA's lack of response may actually 
violate federal law. She wrote that the agency missed a legally required 
90-day deadline to outline corrective actions after receiving the 
watchdog's findings — a lapse she says undermines both oversight and 
safety.

"Such inaction violates Federal law, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
guidance and DHS's own directives," Duckworth wrote.

A policy dating back to the "Shoe Bomber" plot
The rule requiring passengers to remove shoes was implemented several 
years after the 2001 "shoe bomber" plot, when a passenger attempted to 
detonate explosives hidden in his footwear aboard a U.S.-bound flight.

DHS lifted that rule and implemented a "shoes-on" policy on July 8, 2025, 
under Noem. 

At the time, the agency said the move would "increase hospitality for 
travelers and streamline the TSA security checkpoint process, leading to 
lower wait times." DHS argued the decision would not impact security 
standards due to "our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-
layered security approach."

CBS News' reporting found the agency has yet to issue a required response 
to the inspector general's findings months later, leaving recommended 
fixes "open and unresolved" and raising broader questions about whether 
known security gaps are being addressed.

Duckworth argues that abandoning that safeguard without ensuring screening 
technology can compensate introduces a known vulnerability back into the 
system.

The letter also takes direct aim at Noem, who left her role last month and 
was replaced by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, accusing her of 
prioritizing politics over security. Duckworth wrote that Noem's decision 
reflected a "willingness to gamble the American people's security" and 
calls it a "stunning failure of leadership."

CBS News has reached out to DHS and TSA for comment.


-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
forward to America being great again.

We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that 
stupid people won't be offended.

Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.

Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama 
/ Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood 
queer liberal democrat donors.