Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration (or TSA) was created by an act of Congress that was signed by president George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. The act was written as a response to the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The organization was charged, in the midst of much confusion over appropriate safety procedures, with developing policies to ensure the safety of US air traffic and other forms of transportation. Airport security and the prevention of aircraft hijacking is an integral part of the TSA mission.
TSA's Mission & Vision, according to their official US Government web site:
- Mission
- The Transportation Security Administration protects the Nation's transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.
- Vision
- The Transportation Security Administration will continuously set the standard for excellence in transportation security through its people, processes, and technologies.
- The Transportation Security Administration will continuously set the standard for excellence in transportation security through its people, processes, and technologies.
In addition to their other duties, the TSA established an official list of Permitted and Prohibited Items for carry-on and stowed luggage in the post September 11 USA. Amongst other things, this re-allowed such seemingly innocuous items as knitting needles and crochet needles, that were temporarily banned by some airports and airlines after September 11, 2001, in a spirit some considered as paranoid.
