Markey: TSA knife policy "will not fly"
A new Transportation Security Administration policy that would allow passengers to bring small knives on board commercial flights "will not fly," Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said today.
"It is a nonsensical policy, it is a contradictory policy, it is a dangerous policy," Markey said, standing outside of the U.S. Capitol with representatives from flight attendant unions, the Federal Air Marshal Service and other groups opposed to the change.
"We want the TSA to stand for 'Transportation Security Administration,'" Markey said, "not 'Take Small knives Aboard.'"
With the policy change slated to kick in next month, Markey has introduced the "No Knives Act" to keep knives off planes.
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TSA administrator John Pistole has said small knives are not a serious risk to taking a plane down because of reinforced cockpit doors and enhanced security. Furthermore, the TSA argues, allowing the knives lets the agency focus on greater threats and work more efficiently. After a late meeting Wednesday with flight attendants, Pistole told CBS News the agency is not budging. He is testifying before Congress this afternoon and is expected to be asked about the issue.
The new policy would allow knives with blades shorter than 2.36 inches and no wider than a half-inch on board. However, box cutters like the ones used by the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers would still be banned.
At the news conference today, Markey held up a Swiss Army knife that would be allowed under the new rules, as well as a box cutter.
"This blade is longer than the box cutter," he said, holding onto the Swiss Army knife. "This blade can penetrate deeper into a victim... will penetrate blood with the same cold effectiveness of the box cutters used on 9/11.... TSA will give this blade a boarding pass and tell this other blade that it is banned."
