WASHINGTON — At a time of heightened concern about aviation security, the Republican-controlled House gave the nod Thursday to legislation that would cut funding for the Transportation Security Administration by $270 million, the Washington Post’s Joe Davidson reported.
“At a time when intelligence tells us that terrorists remain interested in attacking transportation, this amendment would cut TSA’s screening workforce by more than 10 percent,” about 5,000 people, TSA spokeswoman Kristin Lee said according to the Post.
Union leaders hope the Senate rejects the move, the Post reported. The House vote was 219 to 204.
The Post reported that in a letter to House members before the vote, Colleen M. Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said the budget cut would “damage the traveling safety of the public and hurt Transportation Security Officers’ ability to do their jobs.”
