TSA has already run into sharp criticism over a proposal it says it hasn't made—yet—to eliminate security scans at small airports, where the largest planes have 60 seats or fewer.
The idea, which surfaced in a TSA budget study on ways to reduce spending, would affect about 150 small airports, where passengers would not be screened on departure, but would have to go through screening on arrival at a larger airport.
TSA spokesperson Mike Biello said the idea was only one of many the agency studies each year as it tries to live within its budget. The airports that would be affected require 1,300 TSA agents to screen about 10,000 passengers a day.
It's also possible that the attention the idea has drawn may, in part, be lobbying for fuller funding of TSA. Each year, about $1.3 billion of 9/11 security fees is diverted from TSA to fund other projects, and some members of Congress are pushing to have the funds kept for TSA.
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