"Ineptitude and Indifference" at TSA

Airport screeners at the Transportation Security Administration once again are facing criticism from lawmakers aiming to privatize the agency.

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, on Thursday introduced legislation that would ensure that "any federal employee or agency or any individual or entity that receives federal funds are not immune from any US law regarding physical contact with another person, making images of another person, or causing physical harm through the use of radiation-emitting machinery on another person."

TSA recently has come under fire for its screening procedures, including the use of body scanners. According to Paul, the agency is plagued by "government ineptitute and indifference."

"What we ultimately need is real privatization of security, but not phony privatization with the same TSA screeners in private security firm uniforms still operating under the 'guidance' of the federal government," Paul said in a statement introducing the bill. "Real security will be achieved when the airlines are once again in charge of protecting their property and their passengers."

Paul is not the first lawmaker to criticize TSA. Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has been vocal about the need to reform TSA's workforce and procedures and has called for privitizing the agency. Other lawmakers have pushed back against Administrator John Pistole's decision to grant airport screeners limited collective bargaining rights and the recent union election, in which the American Federation of Government Employees was awarded exclusive representation of TSA workers.