By: Knox Graham
 
JACKSON, Miss.—The Transportation Security Administration has made the surprising recommendation of allowing knives on planes in the future.
 
U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi’s 2^nd Congressional District is on the Homeland Security Committee and voiced his concerns in a press release this week.
 
“I am concerned by TSA’s decision to modify its prohibited items list and allow knives and other carry-ons that can be used as weapons through airport security,” he said.
 
Thompson pointed out that none of the stakeholders like flight crewmembers or air marshals were consulted on the decision before TSA’s Administrator John S. Pistole announced it.
 
“Developing policies in a vacuum that will impact millions of passenger and thousands of front-line workers is a disservice to the American public,” stated Thompson.
 
The Homeland Security Committee said in their Monday press release they are sending a formal letter to Pistole urging him not to pass him recent recommendation.
 
“This is why I continue to champion stakeholder participation, through the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, so that the voices of all those directly affected can be heard,” closed Thompson.
 
A spokesman for Thompson told News Mississippi there will be a Thursday meeting this week in Washington D.C.  and more details surrounding the decision should come out then.