AP Success - AP U.S. Gov & Pol: Concept Application: TSA's Roles, Actions, and Executive Branch Influence

In the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Congress passed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act. This law created the Transportation Security Agency (TSA). The TSA’s initial mission was to replace the private companies airports had previously used to oversee security. The TSA quickly hired and trained over 55,000 screeners to work at the nation’s airports. 

TSA employees may perform one of many roles, such as monitoring checkpoints, performing pat-downs of passengers, and screening luggage for weapons and contraband. Other TSA employees use their specialized training to search for explosives. The agency’s undercover Federal Air Marshals look for suspicious behavior in airport terminals and act as armed security on domestic flights.

The TSA became a part of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. As of 2020, most of the agency’s nearly $8-billion annual budget goes toward the operations and support services people see at the airport. The president appoints the TSA administrator for a five-year term.