Senators Pressuring TSA to Reexamine Pat-Down Policies

Libby Casey, APRN – Washington DCThe head of U.S. Homeland Security says she’ll look into the experience faced by state Representative Sharon Cissna last week in a Seattle Airport.  Cissna is a breast cancer survivor, and TSA agents wanted to give her a pat-down after a body scan picked up scars from her mastectomy.  When Cissna refused she wasn’t allowed to fly.Wednesday, Senator Lisa Murkowski got a chance to press Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on the issue.Both Murkowski and Senator Mark Begich are pressuring the TSA to change their policies.  Murkowski told Napolitano that she sent a letter to the head of TSA, and has not yet heard back.Murkowski said for Alaskans, not flying is a difficult decision.  For Representative Cissna it meant a long, multi-day journey back to Juneau from Seattle on a ferry.Secretary Napolitano pledged to look into Cissna’s experience.Secretary Napolitano says overall, most fliers have had no complaints about the new body scanners and pat-down procedures.Download Audio (MP3)